


Journeys toward dawn - Part 2

by Wanderwoman1



Series: Journeys Toward Dawn [2]
Category: HZD - Fandom, Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Drug Use, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Oseram culture, Post-Canon, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-04 02:30:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 74,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10981485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderwoman1/pseuds/Wanderwoman1
Summary: A continuation of the story begun in Journeys toward dawn - Part 1.Erend and Aloy undertake a series of journeys. Exploring relationships. Navigating grief. Discovering purpose and the possibilities for the future.This story chronicles the first year after the final battle.





	1. And so it begins...

“It means that I think that I’m in love with you too.”

For the second time that night, Erend couldn’t believe his ears. Surely, he’d misheard. Had he imagined it, dreamt so long about hearing those words that his wishful thinking had clouded his mind? He looked at Aloy, who was looking at him expectantly, with a shy smile on her lips. 

“Did you just….” Erend asked, and Aloy gave a small nod.

He stood in front of Aloy in a flash of movement, swooping down and crushing his lips to hers. She turned where she sat, and he leaned into her as he put one knee on the settee. Aloy laid back, Erend following. He rested on his forearm as his other hand ran along her waist, her hip, her thigh.

If his kiss had been passionate before, this time it was indescribable. He poured every ounce of feeling he had into that fervent kiss, all of his love, all of his joy. 

Aloy followed his lead, her inexperience making her feel nervous and inadequate. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt his love for her wash over her like a wave. This is what he’d been holding in all this time, she thought to herself. It must have been unbearable.

Erend’s heart threatened to burst from his chest, so overwhelming were his emotions in that moment. He had no idea that this kind of happiness was even possible, that one person could experience so much joy, such exhilaration. He thrilled each time her words repeated in his head, “I’m in love with you too.” 

As his tongue caressed hers, his hands gliding along her body, he lost himself in the feeling of her. His pounding heart caused his blood to rush through his veins, the heat of the moment coursing through his entire body. He couldn’t breathe, as if all of the air in the room had been sucked away. He had to be dreaming, he thought. It must be a dream – it was too perfect to be real.

Aloy’s body was tingling, every one of Erend’s movements amplified. She could feel his forearm on the cushion beside her, wide and muscular. She could feel the weight of his body against hers, pressing into her. She could feel his hip against her inner thigh, moving ever so slightly as he kissed her. And she could feel his hand as it ran along the side of her body, leaving little trails of pleasure in its wake. 

Aloy made little noises in the back of her throat as she felt an unfamiliar pressure growing in her lower stomach. It was as if all of the heat in her body was pooling there, creating a tingling, almost burning sensation. She’d never felt anything like it before. She felt the pressure increase when she wrapped her leg around Erend and pressed her hips into his. 

Erend was adrift in the sensations, relishing the feeling of Aloy’s body beneath his. His body filled with need, begging him, but he knew that he had to hold himself back. She was a virgin, and he wanted their first time together to be beautiful, not something they rushed into. 

Which was why he all but launched himself backwards when Aloy wrapped her leg around him and ground herself against his dick. He had to stop, had to breathe, had to restrain himself. He wanted her, craved her, but he had to wait for her a little while longer. They needed to stop now, before he lost himself entirely. He slid himself away from her, not trusting that he wouldn’t start kissing her again. He closed his eyes and focused on calming himself.

Aloy propped herself up on her elbows and looked at Erend as he panted, his eyes tightly shut.

“Erend, what happened? Did I do something wrong?” Aloy asked him, confused.

His eyes flew open. “What? No! You didn’t do anything wrong, nothing. I just needed to take a break.” 

Aloy’s face was clouded with confusion. Erend could tell that she didn’t understand. He sighed loudly and ran his hand over his mohawk. 

“Aloy, if I don’t stop myself now I might let things go too far. And I don’t want to do that.”

“You don’t?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to be with you, Aloy. I absolutely want to. But I know that this is new to you, all of it. The last thing I want is for you to feel pressured, to do anything that you’re not comfortable doing. I want to move forward at your pace, not mine. We’ll get there, when you’re ready.”

Aloy sat up and looked at him seriously. “But Erend, I don’t know how to lead. Not with this.” 

“I know.” he said, pausing to think. “How about you tell me when you’re ready to take another step, and then I’ll take it from there. Would you be alright with that?”

Aloy thought about it and nodded. “Yah, that sounds good.” 

Erend smiled, his eyes sparkling, and leaned forward for another kiss. 

_______________

 

Erend and Aloy spent the rest of the evening coming and going from each other’s lips, each other’s arms. 

When it was time for bed, they made their way up to the bedroom. They both stood awkwardly on either side of the bed, looking at one another. If Erend had thought that sleeping next to Aloy was difficult before, it was going to be next to impossible now. 

“Come on, this is silly.” Aloy said as she shifted from foot to foot. “We’ve slept beside each other countless times, and tonight is no different.”

Erend knew that she couldn’t be more wrong. Everything was different now, everything between them had changed and it would never be the same again. There would be no more innocent cuddles, no more chaste kisses on the forehead. From now on, every touch held meaning, communicated something much deeper. She was the woman that he loved with everything that he had, and she finally knew it. The whole world had shifted beneath his feet, being made new. 

Yet still, he nodded in agreement and lifted the sheets to slide into bed. He didn’t want to make the situation more uneasy than it already was. Besides, he knew that nothing more would happen between them, not tonight, even if his brain couldn’t focus on anything else but the feel of her body against his as she snuggled up against him. 

He turned towards her and kissed her tenderly. “I can’t believe that I finally get to say this.” he said softly, his voice waivering, thick with emotion. “I love you, Aloy.”  
______________

 

Erend woke early, but couldn’t make himself open his eyes. He was afraid that it had all been a dream, and if he opened his eyes then the little world that his mind had created, that perfect moment, would be gone forever. He allowed himself to live there a little while longer, casting his mind back to the feel of Aloy’s soft lips on his. He stayed in his dream world until he felt her starting to move beside him. Aloy was awake, and whether he liked it or not, it was time to open his eyes and learn the truth.

What he saw when his eyes fluttered open, though, made his heart swell. Aloy was looking at him, a smile curling her lips. 

“Good morning.” she said quietly as she leaned forward and kissed him. 

By the forge, he thought when she laid back down, it really happened! A grin split his face, and he leaned over her and kissed her again, a deep and tender kiss. Her fingertips ran up his arm and across his back, leaving shivers in their wake.

But the moment finally came when the real world intruded on their private realm, and Erend had to get up to get ready for work. The morning sun that streamed through the window had never seemed brighter as he washed up and got dressed. A ribbon of anxiety tried to wind itself around his mind, making him feel unworthy of this kind of happiness, making him wonder what he would eventually do to ruin it, but he did his best to sweep it away. Those sorts of thoughts could intrude on him some other time, he decided, but this morning he resolved not to dwell on them. 

When he had finished dressing, he leaned over Aloy to give her a goodbye kiss.

“Take care of yourself today, ok?”

“I will. My legs are a bit sore today, probably from running last night, so I’ll just rest for now. I’ll see you tonight.”

“You bet. I love you.”

“I love you too. Have a good day.”

Erend kissed her again, a long and tender kiss that he hoped would be enough to see him through the day. He tried to memorize it, burning it into his memory for the long hours ahead.

When Erend walked in to the throne room for his morning briefing, Avad noticed immediately that his friend was uncharacteristically chipper. He was practically bouncing as he walked, and seemed to be standing a foot taller, as if a weight that he’d been carrying around had finally been lifted. Aha, Avad thought to himself, it looks like his situation may have finally changed. 

“Erend! Good morning!”

Erend’s responded with a big idiot grin, his eyes sparkling. Yah, something had changed alright.

“Before you begin, Erend, I have to ask – what’s got you in such a good mood this morning?” Avad asked with a knowing smile. Erend blushed, but could do nothing to wipe the grin from his face.

“She said that she loves me.” he said quietly, as if shouting it from the rooftops would break the spell.

Avad jumped from his throne and threw his arms around Erend, a grin now spread across his face as well. “By the sun, that’s incredible news! Tell me what happened!” he urged.

“We had a bit of a fight, actually, and I got really mad, really frustrated. She kept pressing me, trying to understand why, and I accidentally let it slip, how I feel about her. It just flew out of my mouth, Avad. She ran out, and I really thought that I had ruined everything, you know? The Erend curse strikes again. But then she came back, and she asked me what I meant. We kissed. The most amazing kiss that I think I’ve ever had. And then she said that she loved me too.”

Avad hugged him again, laughing with delight. “Erend, that’s amazing. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am for the two of you.”

“Thanks.” Erend replied “Happy doesn’t even begin to touch how I’m feeling right now.”

“I’ll bet!” Avad said as he found his seat again. They looked at each other for a moment, grinning from ear to ear.

“Alright, well, the briefing….” Erend started as he began to fill in the details of the previous 24 hours.

Erend was actually humming when he walked into the vanguard hall. He felt like he should probably guard himself, but he felt so unrestrained, so free that he couldn’t. Besides, he told himself, he wanted to share his happiness with everyone that he cared about, even if it got him a good razzing.

Every member of the vanguard who was in the hall that morning had turned and stared at him when he walked in. His good mood was palpable, and was particularly uncharacteristic this early in the morning. 

“NO.” Ando said incredulously, his eyes wide. 

“About damn time.” Roan responded, a broad smile splitting his face.

Erend surveyed the room, and all of the expectant eyes that were upon him. “What?”

“Come on, Captain, there’s only one reason that you would be this happy. Something’s changed with Aloy.”

Erend cast his eyes down and gave a little nod. The room absolutely erupted, people jumping from their seats and rushing forward to congratulate him. A chorus of enthusiastic cheers could be heard all the way to the street outside, passerbys wondering what the commotion was about.

“Alright, alright. Sit your asses down and let’s get started.” Erend shouted as he motioned for them to take their seats.

“So, are you going to tell us what happened?” Kort asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

“No damn way.” Erend declared as he started the briefing. He knew that the story would be told one day, likely over brews, but it wouldn’t be today.

It was the most interminable day of Erend’s entire life. He’d been in days-long battles that didn’t feel as long as each hour that passed. He was distracted, jumpy even, counting down the hours until he could go back to Aloy. He’d often brush his fingertips against his lips, unconscious of the action, as he thought about the warm kisses that awaited him at home. He could almost feel her fingers brushing softly against the marks on his arm, drifting across his skin. 

When the appointed hour finally arrived, he hurried through the streets towards his apartment, his heart pounding in his chest with anticipation. He burst through the door and hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He stretched himself onto the bed beside Aloy and kissed her hungrily, intent on making up for lost time.

________________

It was the growling of their stomachs that finally led them downstairs to the kitchen. It was good timing, Erend thought, since he would have needed to take a break anyway. He had taken the time that morning, while he was in the privacy of the washing room, to spend himself, but he knew that it was only a temporary stopgap. He would wait for Aloy as long as it took, but his self-flagellation would likely be a daily occurrence until that happened. Sleeping next to her, cuddling with her, kissing her passionately – it could be no other way.

Aloy began chopping vegetables while Erend attacked the meat. He would do the actual cooking – they’d learned that lesson the hard way – but they could work together on the preparations. They interrupted themselves often, stopping to kiss, nuzzle, or nip at one another. 

When Erend had finally begun cooking their meal, Aloy sat at the table to watch him work. He seemed so comfortable, she thought, an ease in the kitchen that she herself didn’t have. As her eyes wandered around the room, she noticed the empty tea pot on the shelf above the stove, and it brought up a memory. She chuckled quietly to herself, a blush colouring her cheeks.

“What’s so funny?” Erend asked as he turned from the stove, smiling at her.

“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about the little chat that Teersa and I had when we were in The Sacred Lands.”

“I KNEW there was more to that! So, are you going to tell me what you two talked about?”

Aloy’s blush grew more intense. She was still getting used to the idea of she and Erend as a couple. “She brought me to the Medicine Woman, and asked me if you and I had ever……” 

Erend looked at her beet red face and laughed. By the forge, he could just imagine how awkward that conversation had been. “Yah, ok, and?”

“And she told me about men and women, being together, and gave me a special tea to prevent pregnancy.”

“So that’s why you were acting so strangely!” Erend said, chuckling again. “You couldn’t even look at me, so I knew that it wasn’t ‘nothing’.”

“I don’t know how she knew, Erend, but she did.”

“Well, in my experience, blind old women see a lot more than most.”

“Yah, I suppose. With age comes wisdom.”

Erend nodded.

“And didn’t Renda think the same thing when we stayed with her?” Aloy asked.

“Renda, yah. And Osha. And Tosh. And pretty much everybody else.”

Aloy was shocked. “So, EVERYBODY knew except me? What about Avad? Or the Vanguard?”

Erend nodded, and Aloy buried her face in her hands.

“So, you really had no idea about how I felt about you?” he asked “Because it felt so obvious to me. I always thought that you knew, but were ignoring it for the sake of our friendship, because you didn’t feel the same way.”

“I had no idea that you felt that way, Erend. Like I said last night, I didn’t know what to call this thing between us. I really thought that it was just friendship.”

“So, in your eyes, I looked at Avad or Roan the same way that I looked at you?”

“Well, I guess when you put it that way, it does seem kind-of ridiculous. Am I really that dumb?” Aloy asked with an embarrassed groan.

Erend walked over to her and brushed her cheek with his thumb before leaning down to kiss her gently. “Not dumb. Never dumb. You don’t know what you don’t know, Aloy. I could have said something a long time ago. I should have thought about how new this was to you, both friendship and love. But we can’t change what’s happened. What’s important is that we’re here now.”

She cupped his cheeks in her hands and kissed him. “We’re here now.” she repeated, smiling, as he turned back to the stove.

_____________________

 

As the days passed, Aloy and Erend grew bolder. Erend would find moments, here and there throughout the day, to slip away to meet her. They had a few favourite spots, darkened corners where they could sneak a quick kiss without interruption. It was only a minute or two each time, but these precious minutes helped them to endure the long hours of separation each day.

Aloy was also quickly becoming used to the idea of being with Erend, both with her heart and her body. With each passionate kiss they shared, she grew more confident, more at ease. She found that she loved to kiss him, loved to feel the tickle of his beard against her skin. She loved the way he caressed her, with such a soft, loving touch. The way he wrapped his arms around her, making her feel safe and loved. She loved the feel of his firm muscles, how they rippled beneath her hands when she touched him. She even loved feeling the weight of his body pressing down on her, pushing her into the mattress. What surprised her the most, though, was discovering how much she enjoyed the smell of him – hugging him tightly and burying her face into him, breathing deeply. His musky, masculine scent made her toes curl.

She tried not to be too obvious about it, but she let herself get a little carried away one night as they were laying in bed.

“Did you just sniff me?” Erend asked with a confused chuckle.

Aloy looked up at him and nodded sheepishly, her cheeks a fiery red. “I love the way you smell. Everything about you is so…. manly.”

Erend shot her a wicked grin and moved over her, kissing her fiercely. He had often thought the same of her, but in reverse. Everything about Aloy was so feminine. She smelled like a meadow on a warm spring day. She was athletic and muscular and yet somehow was still all softness and curves. It was so different from his own body, all lines and hard angles. Her beautiful forgefire hair that floated around them when she leaned over to give him a kiss. The way her body just seemed to fit against his, her hand in his.

As tended to happen annoyingly often, their passionate kissing eventually brought Erend to a point where he needed to pull away from her, to stop and take a break to give himself time to calm down. He was still giving himself a release each morning, but it wasn’t enough to take away the pressure building inside him. His hunger grew with every kiss, every touch. 

“Aloy, I have to stop.” he said as he laid back onto the bed and closed his eyes, flinging his arm across his forehead. He gritted his teeth and tried to focus on his breathing, calming himself. It took a few minutes for his heart rate to begin to slow, but it finally did. He was almost ready to open his eyes again when he heard a rustling sound beside him. 

Erend opened one eye and peeked over at Aloy, and what he saw took his breath away. She had sat up in bed and taken off her undertunic, her bare skin now gleaming in the lamplight. He turned and stared at her, unashamed, drinking in the sight of her. Her delicate skin and, by the forge, her perfect breasts. He had seen them once before, that day in the river, but it had been accidental. Now, he could stare all he wanted, and he definitely wanted to.

His breath hitched in his throat as he reached for her, pulling her towards him, their mouths meeting in a passionate kiss. His eyes met hers as he rolled her onto her back, looking for any flicker of doubt. She gave a shy smile and a little nod, and that was all the confirmation that he needed.

His lips returned to hers as his hand slid up from her hip. The feel of her bare skin under his rough hand was like silk. He caressed her stomach, slowly making his way up, brushing his fingers under the rise of her breast. He felt her hands pulling against his shoulders, encouraging him to keep going. He gently ran his hand over her breast, cupping it softly. As he caressed her nipple, he slowly kissed his way down her neck. He heard her gasp when he took her other nipple in his mouth, felt her squirm beneath him as he drew lazy circles around it with his tongue. She whimpered when he gave it a little tug with his teeth, and began to grind herself against his thigh. He lifted his leg a little higher, bringing his knee closer to her, and gently pushed it against her core as she writhed, his dick throbbing. She ground down on him, a loud moan escaping her lips. By the forge, he loved that sound. He flicked his tongue against her nipple, then pulled on it with his lips. He moved up to kiss her, her kiss just as hungry, then brought his attention down to her other breast. He took his time, enjoying the feel of her soft, supple skin against his tongue. As he licked and sucked on her breast, his hands caressing her body, he could feel the pressure on his thigh increase as she pushed against him. His dick, no, his whole body, pulsed with need. He growled as he pressed himself against her hip, desperate for a release that he knew he couldn’t have.

His mouth left her breast, and he slowly made his way back up to her lips.

“Aloy, I’m so sorry, I have to stop now.” he whispered, his voice cracking. All of his focus was now on reigning in the beast within him, trying desperately to hold on to control. He laid back and breathed deeply, letting each breath out slowly. The sound of her heavy breathing filled the room around him, the image of her etched into the backs of his eyelids. It took a long time to wrestle control back, but he finally did. The unscratched itch still burned within him, but at least now it wasn’t threatening to consume him.

As the burning in his veins subsided, his heartbeat once again returning to normal, he lifted his arm so that Aloy could cuddle up to him. He could feel the softness of her bare breasts pressed against his ribs, and the roughness of her leggings against his legs. 

To constantly be brought to the edge, then pulled back just when you thought you would tumble over. By the forge, it was like dying a slow, agonizing death, he thought as he kissed her goodnight.

____________________

Erend flogged himself with unmatched vigor the next morning. He could feel the need crawling around inside him, scratching at his insides. The beast snarled and snapped, coiling itself into his gut and refusing to be moved. Spending himself like this every morning was the only thing keeping him on this side of sanity, but even that was beginning to feel like it wasn’t enough.

His short temper and agitation didn’t go unnoticed by the vanguard, but they were smart enough not to mention it. They could see his patience getting less and less with each passing day, but they let it slide. Roan had reminded them, during a private moment away from their Captain, that Aloy had been an outcast and would likely be moving into her first relationship with tentative steps. It was clear that Erend was ready for more, much more, but Aloy was not – and their respect for the man grew as his good humour shrank.

It was only during their daily training drills that they regretted his foul mood. Erend was getting more wound up each day, and he approached their sparring practice with much more aggression than he normally did. He was rougher, more violent, using the drills as an outlet for everything that was building inside him. Whoever he was paired with immediately knew that they were in for a serious challenge, along with a great deal of pain.

Erend knew that he was taking things out on his vanguard, so he invited them out one evening after a particularly difficult session. “Heh, listen.” he said as their shift ended. “I know that I’ve been tough on you all lately. Let me go get Aloy and we’ll meet you at the tavern. First round’s on me.”

Once everyone was seated around the table and had raised their glasses, Aloy noticed that Kort seemed to be moving slowly, as if he were in pain. He had drawn the short straw that day, and had been paired with the Captain in hand-to-hand combat practice. Erend had pulled his punches a little, but not so much that he hadn’t left Kort battered and bruised.

He would never admit it to anyone, but Kort was intimidated by Erend, afraid of him even. He was a kind and gentle soul, normally, but when he let loose it was truly a sight to behold. He was the best fighter that the vanguard had, by leaps and bounds. On his worst day, he was still better than any other two of them put together. The only one who had ever managed to best him was Ersa, and even then it had been a rare feat that required quite an effort on her part. Kort thought that it was likely because she had grown up training beside him, and had even spent time training him herself, so they were fairly evenly matched. Even as a junior freebooter, Kort couldn’t think of a single instance of anyone else beating him in a fight.

He’d asked Ersa once, after having watched Erend during freebooter training, why he was so good. She had been pretty vague in her response, but he had gathered that Erend had started training as soon as he could walk, and it had been a big part of his life growing up. Almost no one in the vanguard knew what his life had been like before joining the freebooters, but Kort had the impression that it had been a bad time for Erend. In Kort’s mind, it wasn’t just his size or brute strength that put him over the top, although they certainly helped. It was that Erend had a deep well of pain and anger from which to draw, fuel for his rage.

As Kort shifted around in his seat, trying to find a comfortable position, Aloy looked at him again.

“Kort, you look stiff. Are you feeling alright?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Oh, yah, yah, I’m alright. Just had a tough day of sparring is all. Nothing another few mugs of brew won’t fix.” he said, smiling as he raised his mug to his lips.

“Why don’t I bring you some muscle balm? It’ll help, maybe even more than brew.” Aloy offered.

“Oh, that stuff is amazing.” Erend said, jumping in to the conversation. “You won’t believe it.”

Aloy stood and put her hand on Erend’s shoulder. “I’ll whip up a new batch, just for you. I have all of the ingredients at home, it’ll only take me a few minutes. I’ll be right back.” she added, turning to go. She hadn’t even given Kort the chance to say anything, but he wouldn’t have refused if she had. He really was feeling the beat down he’d received.

Erend’s eyes followed Aloy out of the tavern, so he noticed the looks that she got from the four strange men who entered just as she was leaving. They seemed to be merchants, and they had obviously left their manners in whatever town they had come from. 

“Did you see the tight little ass on that one? I’ll bet that it’s not the only thing on her that’s tight!” one of the men said as they sat down at a nearby table. 

“And did you see those perky tits?” one added, growling lustfully.

“Yah, I’d like to get that one on her knees, grab a fistful of that red hair.” said another.

Erend seethed as their words carried across the tavern, the leather of his gloves creaking as he curled his hands into fists. His blood boiled, turning his face a deep crimson. He had a murderous look in his eyes, his rage fighting its way to the surface. 

Senoa put a hand on his forearm, trying to calm him. “Heh, ignore them. They’re four asshole talking shit.” she said quietly.

But the four men didn’t stop. “I don’t care if she wants it, I’ll take her to the alley and make her want it.”

With that, Erend finally snapped. He slammed his fists on the table, waves of brew sloshing out of every mug, and jumped to his feet. He marched over to where the four men were sitting. “Shut your damn mouths and learn some respect.” he shouted at them.

“Piss off, asshole.” one of them muttered. 

Erend grabbed the man’s collar and pulled him to his feet. “You can shut up willingly, or I can make you shut up. Either way, it’s going to happen.” he snarled, a menacing look on his face.

“Take it out back, Erend.” the tavernkeeper called from behind the bar.

Erend pushed the man towards the back door of the tavern, the one that led to the little courtyard where the empty brew barrels were kept. Erend knew it well, having broken up his fair share of fights there. The man’s three friends jumped to their feet and followed him, Erend hot on their heels. Ando was right behind him, backup in case the men decided to fight dirty.

Erend stomped out into the courtyard and unhooked his hammer, handing it to Ando. His bad side didn’t come out often, Ando thought, but these four assholes were about to meet it. He didn’t envy them. 

“Last chance.” Erend warned. 

“Are you deaf? I said PISS OFF ASSHOLE.” one of them shouted, his voice full of cocky confidence. “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s four against one. We’re going to kick your ass.”

A maniacal grin split Erend’s face. “Let’s see, shall we?”

It was the man standing right in front of him who took the first swing. Erend blocked it, slamming his fist into the man’s face. He could hear the crunch of the man’s nose as it exploded under his glove, watched as he flopped to the ground, out cold.

Erend unleashed the beast. He lunged at the man beside him, the dull thud of leather against skin music to his ears. He moved on pure instinct, his rage guiding him. Blood sprayed as fists and elbows flew, leaving broken bones and shattered teeth in his wake. He was relentless, pummeling each man until they were unrecognizable. 

It took only minutes for all four men to be on the ground, pounded to a bloody pulp. Moans of pain followed Erend as he walked back towards Ando, silently taking his hammer and hooking it on his back.

“Better?” Ando asked.

Erend gave a sharp nod, then walked back into the tavern.

No one said a word when Erend sat back down at the table. They ignored the droplets of blood that now adorned his uniform. They pretended like he hadn’t just beaten four men to within an inch of their lives. He grabbed his ale and chugged from it, slamming it back onto the table. 

Luckily, he had calmed a bit by the time Aloy returned with the balm for Kort.

“Erend! You’ve got blood all over you! What happened?” she asked, alarmed.

“Oh, it’s nothing. There was a fight out back, and I got in the middle of it.”

“Are you alright?” 

“Yah, I’m fine.” he replied, smiling at her. “Much better, actually, now that you’re here.”

Roan couldn’t help but notice how Erend’s mood lifted the moment that Aloy had appeared. He had been short-tempered with them all day, but around her his sweet nature returned. It was as if someone had flipped a switch, so remarkable was the change. Roan was glad to see it – he had worried that Erend’s aggression would follow him home, and he knew that that was something that Erend would never want. It was obvious that he was waiting for her, that he loved her enough to put himself through all of this. It was also obvious that he hadn’t let Aloy see what he was going through. As tough as it was for the vanguard at the moment, his love for her was still a beautiful thing to witness. 

They spent the rest of the evening chatting and laughing, enjoying their brews and each other’s company. As they began to trickle out, Erend pulled Kort aside.

“Heh, look, I just wanted to apologize for earlier today. I know that…”

Kort held up his hands, cutting Erend off. “No worries, Captain.” He smiled and leaned a little closer to Erend, lowering his voice. “I get it. I know what it’s like when the little brain takes over, my friend. I mean, look at me. Thokar can be gone for weeks at a time, when he has to go to The Claim. I know that your hand only gets you so far. Sometimes, what you’re craving most is the feeling of a warm body, the intimacy. I’ve been there. We all have. But I have to tell you, I hope it happens soon, for all our sakes.” 

_________________________

Erend tugged his tunic over his head, then pulled back the sheets and flopped into bed. As he waited for Aloy, he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, steadying himself. He could already feel the anticipation building within him, feel her lips on his, feel the ghost of her fingertips trailing across his skin. He could feel himself starting to get hard, and she wasn’t even in the room yet. By the forge, restraining himself was taking everything that he had. He could do it, would do it, for her, but it wasn’t easy. He tried to think of the last time he’d been with a woman. For sure, he hadn’t so much as looked at anyone else since he’d met Aloy, so it had been a while. He gritted his teeth and took another deep breath, steeling himself for the night ahead. 

He heard Aloy come into the room, her feet padding quietly against the wooden floor. He heard the shuffling of fabric as she started to get undressed, and opened his eyes to watch her. There was no way that he would ever miss the chance to see that, even if that was all that he got.

Aloy removed her armour, setting it aside, then brought her eyes to his. She looked at him watching her, his eyes hungry, and she reached for the hem of her undertunic. She slowly pulled it up, slipping it over her head and tossing it on top of her armour. She could see Erend’s eyes drinking her in, worshiping her from afar. She got into bed and slid up beside him, kissing him tenderly. She smiled, her lips still against his, when she felt his rough hand on her back, pulling her closer. 

They continued their explorations of one another, hands and lips roaming across each other’s skin. When Erend had finally reached his limit, he rolled onto his back and closed his eyes, taking a few deep, calming breaths.

“Erend?” he heard Aloy say softly.

“Yah?”

“Can I……” she started, trailing off.

Erend turned his head to look at her. “Yes, of course you can.”

She cocked her head, a puzzled look on her face. “But you don’t know what I was going to ask.”

He smiled at her. “It doesn’t really matter. For you, the answer will always be yes.”

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him, a deep and lingering kiss.

“So, now that we know that the answer is yes, what is it that you wanted to ask me?” he teased.

“I was wondering if I could, um, see it?” she asked, chewing on her lip as her eyes flashed towards his waist.

A sly grin slithered across his lips. “Anytime you want.” he said before kissing her hungrily.

He slid towards the edge of the bed and stood, turning to face her. He watched her curious eyes as he hitched his thumbs into the waist of his pants and dropped them to the floor, stepping out of them.

He saw the shock in her eyes as she gasped. The shock was quickly replaced with fear as she looked down at her own body, and Erend knew immediately what her concern was. He knelt on the bed and gently laid her down, laying down beside her and kissing her tenderly.

“Don’t worry.” he whispered. “It’ll fit.”

“Are you sure? It’s so…”

“I’m sure. I promise you, it’ll fit. The first time will hurt, but only the first time, and only at the beginning.” He stroked her hair, calming her. “But I swear to you, Aloy, when we get there, I will be as gentle as I can. Everything will be ok, I promise.”

“Ok.” she whispered. “I trust you Erend.”

He kissed her again, his kiss growing hungrier as he felt her hands beginning to explore his body. She ran her fingers down his stomach, hesitating for a moment before letting her fingers wander further.

When she finally wrapped her hand around his dick, now rock hard, a low growl rumbled deep inside his chest. Her tiny hand was so different from his own, her touch so tentative. He knew that he would need to show her that she could be a little rougher with him.

Erend turned onto his back, watching her as her eyes roamed across his body, a fascinated look on her face. He pulled her towards him, his kisses becoming ravenous. As she continued her explorations of his throbbing dick, he closed his eyes and grabbed fistfuls of bedding, gritting his teeth as he tried to restrain himself. But there came a point where he couldn’t hold back anymore, his hips jerking of their own accord, which caused Aloy to jump.

“I’m sorry.” he gasped between labored breaths. “I couldn’t help that.” 

“Am I doing it right?” she asked, her self-doubt colouring her voice.

“Yes. But I’ll guide you, if you want.”

Aloy nodded. Erend sat up and reached into the bedside drawer, pulling out a little bottle of oil. He took her hand, poured some oil onto her palm, then set the bottle on the table before laying back down. 

“Hold it like this.” he started, his hand over hers as he led her back to his pulsing dick. He wrapped her hand around him and let out a loud moan as he guided her first few strokes. His hand found her breast as she stroked him, the rhythm and pressure nearly perfect. She was a quick study, thank the forge.

He kissed, licked, and sucked her breasts, her neck, as she pleasured him. He could feel the tension building inside him, his need pushing against him. He leaned forward to attack her lips, and she responded by moving her hand faster. He was nearly there, teetering on the blade’s edge. 

He flopped back onto the bed and groaned as he exploded, the weeks of building pressure finally detonating, and he felt a release more powerful than any he’d ever had before. At last, the beast had been satisfied. 

He reached for Aloy, and she kissed him tenderly before laying her head on his chest. He could feel her warm, sticky hand laying on his lower stomach, and a satisfied smile found its way to his lips. He ran his hand over her hair, enjoying the moment they were sharing.

“Aloy, that was…..” he started, but found that he didn’t have the words to describe how he felt.

She propped herself up and looked at him. “Messy?” she teased.

Erend laughed. “It was that, yah.” 

A serious look came over his face as he gazed up at her in the lamplight. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” she said softly.

_____________

 

The next day, Erend felt so much better. His desire was still there, but it wasn’t overwhelming, like it had been before. He no longer felt fueled by aggression, something which the vanguard would no doubt appreciate, he thought to himself as he got ready for work.

It was a beautiful day, and Erend decided to join a few of the vanguard as they did their midday rounds through the city. Meridian was bustling, merchants having come from far and near for the harvest season. This was always Erend’s favourite time of year, when the fresh fruits and vegetables were gathered, and the grains in the fields harvested. He enjoyed the cooler, crisp air that finally relieved Meridian of its oppressive heat, and the parties of the annual harvest festival were always a good time.

As they patrolled through the market, Griff elbowed Erend in the ribs and cocked his head towards one of the merchants. Erend saw Aloy’s distinctive red hair immediately, and made his way over to her, the other vanguard on his heels.

“Wasn’t expecting to see you here.” he said as he leaned down for a quick kiss. 

Aloy held up a basket full of ripe, juicy tree fruits. “I wanted to try some of these. I’ve never had them before.”

Erend smiled and grabbed one of the pale orange fruits from her basket. “Ah-ha! Yes! These ones are my favourite.” he said, winking at her and taking a big bite of the fuzzy fruit.  
Aloy giggled as juice dribbled down his chin. She reached up and wiped her finger across his lips, then brought her finger to her mouth.

Erend watched in rapt fascination, unblinking, as Aloy wrapped her lips around her finger and slowly sucked the juice from it. He heard the quiet pop as she pulled it out of her mouth. “Mmmm, that’s so good.” she said in a low voice.

Aloy looked up and saw Erend gawking at her. “Erend?” 

“Hmmmm?” 

“Erend, you’re staring at me.”

He cleared his throat, trying to break out of his trance. “Um, what?”

“I said, you’re staring at me. Why are you staring at me?”

“Oh, uhh…” he stammered.

Aloy shook her head, unsure why Erend’s brain had seemed to suddenly disappear. “Anyway, I’ll get some more of these and bring them home.”

“Uh, yah, I’d like that.”

“Captain?” Senoa cut in, reminding him that he was on duty. 

“Yah, right. We have to get going Aloy. I’ll see you at home.” He leaned down and kissed her again, more than just a quick peck this time. He could taste the fruit juice mingling on their lips, and he gently sucked on her lower lip, tugging on it as he broke away from her.

As the three vanguard walked away, Griff leaned towards Erend, whispering into his ear. “Are you going to need a minute, Captain?” he asked. A sharp nod was Erend’s only response.

When Erend got home that evening, he made a beeline for the kitchen. He saw Aloy’s basket sitting on the table, now overflowing with his favourite fruit. He smiled and grabbed two of the juiciest looking ones before heading upstairs to find her. If she had thought that the night before had been messy…

He found Aloy laying on the bed, her hair still wet from having washed it. She sat up and smiled at him when she saw him standing in the doorway, but looked a bit baffled when he stretched out his arm and handed her one of the fruit.

“Take a bite.” he said, his voice thick with lust as he knelt on the bed beside her.

She did, and as expected some of the fruit’s juice escaped. Erend leaned forward and sucked the juice from her lips. When he looked at her, he knew that she understood what he wanted.

He whipped off his tunic, and she hers. He shot her a tantalizing smile, then took a bite of his own fruit. Aloy leaned forward and licked the stream of juice, from the tip of his chin up to his lips. He grabbed her and pulled her closer, kissing her greedily. 

They took turns, teasing and licking one another. When Erend crushed what was left of his fruit in his hand, dripping the juice onto her breasts, she laid back and let him suck every single drop from her skin. She, in turn, knelt between his knees and licked the juicy pulp off of his stomach, a jolt running through him with every pass of her tongue.

When she began to tug on his pants, he lifted his hips and graciously obliged. She pulled them off and moved towards him again, her hands walking forward on either side of him as she kissed her way back up his stomach. She reached between them and grasped him, her finger circling his tip.

But tonight, Erend wanted to feel her skin against his. “I want you up here with me.” he said as he reached down and grabbed her hips, dragging her up until she was straddling his waist. Her leggings scratched against him, but he didn’t care. He reached over to the bottle of oil and poured some into his hand, then leaned up to kiss her as he reached around her hip and gripped himself.

Aloy took full advantage of the use of both of her hands as they kissed, caressing his chest, running her fingers along his neck and into his hair. He couldn’t take his eyes off her when she lifted his free hand and licked his finger, sucking the last of the sticky juice from it. The feel of his finger in her warm, wet mouth made his other hand work more furiously, speeding him forward.

He moved his free hand to her back as she twirled her finger around his nipple, leaning forward to take it in her mouth. Her kisses worked their way up his neck to his ear, and she gently tugged on his earlobe. 

A growl rumbled in his throat. “Aloy!” he cried out as he bucked against her, sweat dripping as his arm moved faster still.

“I love you.” she whispered into his ear.

Her words pushed him over the crest and he hugged her body against his as his orgasm ripped through him. 

Panting, he released his grip on himself and let his arm fall to the mattress beside her leg. In that moment, he felt like everything in the world made sense, and he was exactly where he needed to be. 

Aloy laid her head on his chest, her body resting on his, and he softly brushed his fingertips along her back. Erend smiled, loving these tender little moments that he got to spend with her. They were just as important to him as everything that had come before. It was the love that he felt that fueled his passion for her, all of his pleasure amplified because it was her that was giving it to him. This, he thought, was the difference between having sex and making love. It had always been about the transaction before. But with Aloy, he was sharing emotion, a deep intimacy, a real connection. He tried to imagine how he would feel after they actually had sex for the first time, and he could only think that it would be the most incredible feeling in the world.

When Aloy sat up and looked around them, she let out a little laugh. “Oh, Erend, the sheets.” 

“Damn the sheets.” he said, leaning up to kiss her. “I’d sleep on the ground outside before I would trade a night like this for clean sheets.”

She smiled and cupped his cheeks, kissing him. She slid off of him and shimmied across the bed, making her way to the edge. Erend could see that the back of her leggings hadn’t escape unscathed either, her backside now wet with his fluid.

“Heh, I was thinking that I would go wash up.” he said. “Do you want to join me?”

He saw her hesitate for a moment. “Leave your leggings on, it’s ok. I just…. I want to be close to you.”

She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. “Yah, alright. But shouldn’t we wait until morning? The bed’s a sticky mess.”

“Ah, not to worry. There’s another set of sheets in the drawer.” he said as he took her hand and pulled her towards the washing room.

Erend filled the basin with warm water, then they took their time as they washed one another. He closed his eyes as she ran the warm, soapy cloth over his chest and down his stomach. She moved the cloth back up, stroking down his neck and over his shoulder, making her way down his arm. He could feel the cloth gently scratch against his skin, the warm water making its way down his naked body. When Aloy had finished washing his chest, back, arms, and neck, she hesitated.

Erend opened his eyes and saw the apprehension written all over her face. “Do you want me to take it from here?”.

She nodded shyly and handed him the cloth. He quickly finished washing himself, then threw the cloth into the basin. “OK, your turn.”

He started with her hair, which was in sticky clumps in spots where his fingers had touched it. He couldn’t help but run his fingers through it again as the warm water rinsed down the length of it. Her beautiful red hair was one of the countless things that he absolutely adored about her, one of the many things that made her uniquely Aloy.

He took the cloth from the basin and finished washing her back, mostly clean from having washed her hair. He moved on to her arms and hands, marveling at their delicate strength. What an amazing woman she is, he thought as he ran the cloth down one of her arms. And to think, she had chosen him. Of all of the people she could have had, and he knew that there were many, she had chosen him. He wasn’t worthy of that choice, he thought to himself, didn’t deserve to be loved by someone so special. But he would spend the rest of his days trying to be worthy of her, to be the man that she believed him to be. 

Her arms and hands clean, he moved around to face her. He started at her neck, smiling as her head flopped backwards, and worked his way down. His eyes followed the streams of water as they flowed down the curves of her body, following many of the same paths his tongue had taken earlier. He felt his body stir as he watched the warm, soapy water dripping from the tips of her perfect breasts. He dropped the cloth on the floor at her feet, his soapy hand moving up to cup one of them as he leaned down to kiss her. 

“More?” she asked breathlessly.

“Always. I only wish that I didn’t ever have to stop.” he replied between kisses.

“I’m probably going to taste very soapy.” she warned playfully.

Erend growled in frustration, knowing she was right. He gave her a final, lustful kiss and stepped back, dropping his hand from her slippery breast. “It probably for the best anyway. We really should eat something.” Erend said reluctantly. “Other than each other.” he finished with a smirk, raising an eyebrow.

Once they’d dried off, Erend gave Aloy a moment alone in the washing room to change her leggings, going to the bedroom so that he could start to remake the bed. By the time he’d pulled on some pants and gotten the sheets from the drawer, she was standing on her side of the bed. 

“If we keep this up, we’ll need a stock up on a few things.” he said jokingly as he shook the sheet towards her. “The first being more sheets. The second, more oil. A lot more oil.”  
_________________

With the arrival of the harvest season came the Harvest Festival, which always began on the night of the harvest moon. It was a week-long celebration, with offerings of gratitude for the Sun’s bounty, and lots of feasting, music, and merriment. The last night of the festival was Winskill, where people across Meridian threw extravagant parties for their friends and family. It was tradition for revelers to go from party to party in elaborate costumes, eating and drinking their way around the city. It was the best night of the year, as far as Erend was concerned. 

This would be Aloy’s first Harvest Festival, he knew, and he wanted to make it a memorable one. The whole city would come alive for that one week, with parades, games, friendly pranks, contests, and dancing in the streets. Every corner of the city would be festooned with colourful decorations, and bonfires would be lit every night of the festival. 

Erend had never really followed the religious aspects of the festival, since they centered around Carja beliefs. It was a sacred time for the Carja, the time when they gave thanks to the Sun as it retreated from their lands, having finished its work of blessing them with food for the year. They believed that the failure to show enough gratitude meant that the Sun would not bless them the following year. He knew a little bit about the rituals, since he’d had to accompany Avad more than once during the offering of the first loaves, but otherwise he didn’t pay much attention. For an Oseram, the harvest meant a fresh supply of barley, and with it a fresh supply of brew.

Which wasn’t to say that Erend completely rejected the religious side of the Harvest Festival. His mouth watered every time he thought about taking the first bite of Sun Cake, which was only made during the festival. By the forge, those little cakes were good. But even more than Sun Cakes, what Erend was most looking forward to this year was one side of the festival that he didn’t normally care much about. It wasn’t only a time to be thankful for the abundance of the harvest - it was also a time to be thankful for the abundance of the other good things in life, like the love of friends and family. This year, especially, he felt that he had a lot to be thankful for. He would be eternally grateful for Aloy’s love, that much was sure. But he also had his Vanguard family, who had rallied to his side in the wake of Ersa’s murder; and Avad, a loyal friend who saw him through some dark days after Aloy’s accident. These past months had had many ups and downs, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. They had made Erend realize just how many people he had in his life that he could really rely on - when the chips were down, he had people that he could turn to. He knew just how rare and precious that sort of friendship was, and he intended to honour those bonds during this year’s festival.

____________

 

The night before the harvesting of the fields in the Maizelands began, the Sun Priests led a moonlight procession through the fields, to bless them and those that tended them. The priests carried flickering lanterns on tall poles as they wound their way through the fields, chanting their prayers. 

Erend and Aloy watched the procession from above, having chosen a spot in one of the gazebos that lined the rim of the city. They looked down from their vantage point as the Sun Priests snaked their way through the fields, like a dancing ribbon of light. 

“It’s so quiet, so peaceful.” Aloy whispered. “So un-Meridian.”

Erend chuckled softly. She was right, quiet and peaceful were not usually words that were used to describe the city. “What do you say we extend the quiet a while longer, maybe take a walk somewhere?” he proposed. 

Aloy smiled up at him. “I’d really like that.”

Erend took her hand and they slowly walked towards the elevators, no particular destination in mind other than to escape the city. The moon shone brightly in the sky above them, lighting their way as they passed through Meridian Village and into the forest beyond.

They walked slowly, hand in hand, along the well-worn path. When they reached the river they turned and followed it, the sound of the rushing water against the rocks the only thing breaking the silence around them.

Soon enough, they came to a small clearing in the trees, and Erend decided that this spot was as good as any. He looked at Aloy and bobbed his head towards the clearing, and she nodded. They steered themselves towards the soft grass and laid down in it, side by side.

Erend looked up at the twinkling stars, letting his mind wander. He thought back to the first time they had looked at the stars together.

“Do you remember our first night on the way to The Claim?” Erend asked softly, not wanting to break the spell of their perfect moment.

Aloy turned her head to look at him, her eyes gazing into his. “I do.”

“I could never figure it out, you know. I still can’t. That night, it was like you saw every little piece of me, parts of me that nobody had ever seen before. How did you do that?”

She smiled as she reached for his face and ran her thumb along his cheek. “I don’t know, Erend, other than to say that I’ve always felt a special connection with you.”

Erend nodded and turned his eyes back towards the sky. 

“That connection, it’s seen us through a lot, hasn’t it?” he whispered.

“It has.”

He thought about all of the times that she had stayed by his side, even when he felt overwhelmed with everything happening around him, even when anyone else would have been scared away. “Thank you for not running away from me.” he said almost inaudibly.

Aloy looked at him with sad eyes, wishing that he could see himself as she did. She leaned over and kissed him gently. “I love you Erend, so much.”

“I love you too, Aloy, with everything that I have.”

They looked back up at the stars, letting the weight of their words settle between them. 

“The sky tonight also reminds me of that dress that you wore to Avad’s feast.” Erend said finally, hoping to lighten the mood a little. 

“The blue one? Yah, me too.”

“I have to say, you nearly ruined me that night.” Erend added, chuckling to himself.

“What?” Aloy asked, surprised. “What do you mean, ruined you?”

“Seeing you at the top of the stairs. I’m still a bit surprised that I was able to speak after that. Or do anything, for that matter. You looked so…. I don’t know how to describe it. Beautiful isn’t enough. You’re beautiful right now, you always are, but that night, you were something beyond that. Maybe it was because, after everything that we’d been through with the battle and everything, and after we had had that perfect day down at the lake…. Like I said, I don’t really know how to describe it. It’s a moment that I will never forget, that much I can promise you.” 

“Um, ok.” she said hesitantly, not entirely sure how to respond.

“It’s a good thing, trust me.”

They slipped back into silence, laying in the grass until the cool night air roused them. They made their way back slowly, fingers intertwined as they walked, just enjoying being with one another. 

________________________

Aloy hadn’t said much as they’d walked back home, obviously lost in her thoughts, and Erend had left her to her musings. They headed wordlessly up the stairs to their bedroom, their hands still joined as they climbed. She didn’t drop his hand until they’d reached the doorway to the bedroom, each heading for their side of the bed. She stood quietly and watched Erend as he took of his tunic and changed into his bed pants, her eyes following him as he flopped onto the mattress.

“Are you alright?” he asked, concern in his voice, when he saw that she was still standing by the bed, unmoving.

“Yah, I’m fine.” she replied quietly as she slowly began to remove her tunic, Erend’s eyes following her every move.

Erend could see her hesitating, and he wondered if she was uncomfortable with the way that he was staring at her. He turned his head and looked up at the ceiling, waiting for her to crawl in next to him. But instead of hearing the rustle of sheets, he heard something else. He turned again to look at her, and saw that she was sliding down her leggings. His breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding. He couldn’t move, watching her as she slipped off her leggings and slid under the sheets. He felt her bare skin against his as her leg brushed against him. He let out a ragged breath as she lifted her eyes to look at him.

“I want you to touch me, Erend.” 

He didn’t hesitate. He leaned over and kissed her, as if her lips were air and he were a drowning man. His entire world existed only in that bed, only in the moment that they were sharing, and he wanted to drink it in. 

His fingers itched to reach down and touch her, but he knew that he had to take his time. As he kissed her he began running his hands along her waist and down to her hip, relishing the feel of her soft skin. His hand ventured further, sliding down to her backside, giving it a gentle squeeze as he pulled her tight against him. His hand continued its journey, slowly sliding along her back to her ribs. He brushed his fingers across her stomach, feeling her body jump. He smiled against her lips as he kissed her, enjoying her reaction to his touch. 

His fingers trailed up and brushed under the rise of her breast. She whimpered into his mouth as he took her breast in his hand, his finger stroking her nipple. He started to kiss his way across her chin and down her neck, feeling her fidgeting beneath him in anticipation. When his tongue flicked against the peak of her breast, she moaned. He smiled again and sucked on it, tugging at it with his lips.

As he continued to suckle her breast, he began to slide his fingers down her stomach. He took his time, wanting to draw out the experience as long as possible. He heard her breath hitch when his fingers brushed past her hip bone, and he stopped.

“Is this ok? Do you want me to stop?” he asked, suddenly worried that he was moving too fast.

“No.” she gasped. “Don’t stop.”

Erend’s body was suddenly flooded with need, an urgency that he hadn’t allowed himself to feel until now. He bent back down to her breast, taking her nipple in his mouth, as he slid his fingers into her curls. He felt her body tensing under him so he stopped, waiting for her to relax. It took only a second for her surprise to pass.

Wanting to see her reaction, he lifted his head as he slid his finger between her folds, caressing her softness. Her body jerked, her eyes flying open and then immediately slamming shut as she gasped loudly. Erend loved that he was able to make her feel this way, to bring her pleasure like she’d never experienced before. He watched her face as he stroked her, his rough finger grazing against her soft folds. He leaned down to kiss her, and she attacked his lips with a passionate fervor. Her kisses stopped, though, when he brought his finger up towards her clit. He watched her face as he drew lazy circles around it, drawing ever closer, then began to gently stroke it. 

Aloy stopped breathing, her head thrown back and her mouth open as pleasure coursed through her body. He felt her clawing at his back, the tips of her fingers digging into his skin. His dick throbbed when he heard her take a sharp breath, crying out his name.

He began to slide his finger back and forth down her slippery wetness, slowly making his way lower with each stroke. He teased her entrance with his fingertip, her cries pleading for more, then slipped his finger into her. Her hips bucked up, pushing his finger deeper. His own body throbbed as he stroked her, curling his finger inside her as if beckoning her. His need burned within him, but he pushed it back down. His lips returned to her breast as she squirmed under his hand. He slowly began to trail kisses down her stomach, sliding his finger out as he made his way lower. 

“Erend?” he heard her ask, obviously unsure of what he was doing. He smiled to himself, eager for her to find out. 

When his tongue flicked where his finger had been, her entire body went rigid, a deep moan rumbling from the back of her throat. He pressed his tongue against her folds, a gentle pressure, and slowly licked up to her tiny nub, wrapping his lips around it and sucking on it. Her hips bucked again as she cried out, almost throwing him off. He wrapped his arms around her thighs, pulling her closer to him, and resumed his languid licking and sucking. He teased her with his tongue, loving the sound of her gasping cries. She was uninhibited, completely lost in the moment that they were sharing, and he was lost in her. 

He brought his fingers back down to join his tongue, curling one inside her. He lapped up the honey that dripped from her core as he stroked her, enjoying the taste of her, the feeling of her body as it twitched around him. He slowly pulled out his finger, adding a second as he flicked his tongue against her clit. He felt the gentle pull of her fingers tangling in his hair and he looked up across the plain of her stomach. He could see her face between the valley of her breasts, her look of sheer ecstasy making his body throb. He growled against her, feeling her body beginning to tense around his fingers as he stroked. She was on the cliff’s edge, and he wanted nothing more than to take her there.

He quickened his fingers, applied more pressure with his tongue, sucked a little harder. He felt her orgasm passing through her body, clamping down on his fingers, as her breath caught in her throat. He grinned, his lips still against her, a feeling of joy washing over him. 

When her body had stilled, he slid his fingers from inside her and began kissing his way back up her body. When he reached her lips, he kissed her deeply, lovingly. 

“Keep going.” she begged him when he’d broken away from her lips.

“You mean…” he looked into her eyes, searching. “Are you sure?” 

“YES!” she cried.

Erend’s entire body burned in anticipation as he took off his pants. He took a deep breath, knowing that he couldn’t let himself go completely. Tonight was about Aloy, and he would need to be gentle.

He kissed her again, the urgency of his need like a weight upon him. He teased his throbbing dick against her, stroking the head of it along her soft folds. Her fingers dug into his hips, urging him forward.

He looked into her eyes as he pushed his tip inside her. By the forge, she was so tight. He saw the flash of pain on her face and stopped, stroking his fingers along her temple.  
“I know, Aloy. I know it hurts. I’m so sorry.” he said as he buried his face in her hair. He pushed in a little further, stopping again when he heard her sharp intake of breath.  
“Try to relax.” he whispered to her as he kissed her softly. He waited as her body adjusted to his, his gentle kisses soothing her. As his hips finally met hers, he kissed her again, a kiss that he hoped showed her just how he felt. He slowly rocked against her, careful to be as gentle as he could. Soon enough, the look of pain on her face was replaced with one of pleasure. He felt her fingers drifting up his back as he began to move a little faster, her breath quickening. He heard her soft moans, testing his restraint. His body cried out for more, but he held back. It was her pleasure that mattered to him.

He leaned his head down as he thrusted, taking her nipple in his mouth. He teased her with his tongue as he felt his own pressure growing, the sensual sounds that she made driving him towards the edge. 

There was little that he could do to restrain himself as he rushed towards release. His hips met hers faster and faster, driven by his need. Aloy writhed beneath him, moaning and gasping as he moved. The words tumbled from his lips before he even realized he’d spoken them. “I love you.” he breathed as he exploded inside her, the spring coiled inside him finally free.

Panting, he looked down at Aloy, a blissful smile on her lips. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, his heart overflowing with emotion. They stayed tangled together for a moment, Erend showering her with kisses. He had so much love for her that he didn’t know where to put it all, felt overwhelmed by it. He looked down at her adoringly and smiled. “By the forge, Aloy, I love you so much.”

She smiled at him and nodded, a tear escaping the corner of her eye. 

“Heh, heh, what’s that about? Are you alright? Did I hurt you too much?”

“No, no, I’m ok. I just… I just really love you too.”

Erend’s heart soared at her words, a feeling of complete happiness bursting from his chest. He kissed her again, pouring his exhilaration into her, feeling hers flowing through him. He wished that he could freeze that moment forever.

________________________________

 

Erend woke with the sun, and turned to watch Aloy as she slept. She looked so peaceful. Her hair was tangled around her, and he reached out to touch it. 

But he couldn’t put off the day forever. When he’d waited as long as he could, he rose and went to the washing room. He felt lighter than air, his heart fluttering. He smiled, humming to himself, as he shaved his beard and washed himself. It was going to be an incredible day.

When he emerged from the washing room, he noticed that Aloy was awake. She sat up and slid herself to the edge of the bed, her bare skin even paler in the morning sunlight. Erend looked at her lustily, feeling the stirring in his belly. He stood naked in the doorway, staring at Aloy’s perfect form. 

“Erend?” Aloy asked him, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

“Mmmhmm.” he answered, still caught up in his trance.

“You know how, last night, you, uh, you kissed my flower?” 

Kissed her flower, he wondered. Oh, right, so that’s what she called it. “Mmmhmm.”

“Well I was wondering, is that something that you’d like me to do to you?”

THAT pulled him back down to earth. He looked at her as she blushed. “Only if you want to.”

“I want to.”

He walked slowly towards her, the fire in his veins burning hotter. By the forge, he just couldn’t get enough of her. She stood as he approached her, kissing him passionately. She reached down and took him in her hand, stroking him.

“What do I do?” she asked breathlessly between kisses.

“Kiss, lick, suck, it’s all good. Use your mouth and your hands.”

She nodded, and got down on her knees in front of him.

“Aloy” he said, his voice gruff in anticipation. “Just, uh….. teeth. Watch out for your teeth. The rest, I’ll let you know as you go.”

He looked down at her, his breathing becoming shallower. She smiled up at him, a look that he never wanted to forget, then turned her attention back to his throbbing dick. She took a few tentative licks along his length, flicking her tongue when she reached the tip. Growing bolder, she wrapped her lips around him, and he let his head fall back as a loud moan escaped him. He felt her moan in response, a delicious shiver that went through him. She began to move, sliding along his length, slowly at first, then faster as she grew more confident. She wrapped her hand around the base, stroking in time with her mouth. 

As pressure built within him, he had to clench his fists to keep from grabbing her head. That would be a step too far, he knew, but her mouth felt so good. He wanted so badly to push himself deeper into her mouth, to go faster. Last night had been about her, but this morning he felt his own need pressing down on him.

“Aloy.” he gasped. He looked down at her again, his eyes meeting hers as she stared up at him. He watched as she pulled him out of her mouth, then licked along his length, never once breaking eye contact. 

And that was it, that look was all it took. He reached under her arms and picked her up, all but throwing her onto the bed. He lifted her legs, hooking her heels over his shoulders, and moaned as he pushed into her. He began to thrust, watching her breasts as they moved with his rhythm. His movements became faster as her gasps grew louder, the sound of her pleasure pushing him.

He was suddenly overcome with the need to feel her body next to his, to feel her skin slide against him. As he drove himself into her, he reached down and slipped his arms under her back. With a quick jerk, he pulled her up to face him, her legs falling to the crooks of his elbows as he moved his hands under her backside. She let out a little yelp as he lifted her, but the moment she was facing him she kissed him hungrily. They stood tangled together as he began to move again, curling his hips back as he lifted her, letting her slide back down with each thrust. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, peppering him with kisses on his lips, his neck, his shoulder. He felt her fingers digging in to him, heard her moans becoming louder as she slid against him. He felt the tension beginning to coil inside him, his breath hitching with every thrust.

“Oh, Erend!” she cried out, biting down on his shoulder. As her body began to shake in his arms, he gave a few final thrusts, slapping against her. He spilled himself deep inside her as a rush of breath escaped his lungs.

Panting, he walked over to the bed and carefully placed one knee on the edge, lowering Aloy down to the mattress. He kissed her as he slowly pulled himself out of her and laid down beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face into his chest.

“Good morning.” she said quietly.

Erend laughed. “Good? That’s one way of putting it. I was thinking something more like great, or amazing, but good works.”

Aloy giggled as she played with the hair on his chest. “You’re right, better than good.”

She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling, and he kissed her again. He never wanted to stop kissing her.  
__________

Erend didn’t want to go. He wanted to spend the rest of the day, the rest of his life, with Aloy in his arms. But he knew that he was already late, very late.

“I’ve got to go.” he said, giving her a soft kiss and reluctantly lifting himself off the bed, his eyes never leaving hers. 

“I know.” she replied softly, a hint of regret in her voice. “But I’ll see you tonight.”

Erend gave her a sly grin. “Yah you will.”

Aloy grabbed a pillow to throw at him, and he laughed. Erend quickly cleaned himself up and got dressed, but paused as he was leaving the room. He turned back to look at Aloy, still laying naked on the bed. “I love you. Have a good day.” 

He hurried down the stairs and threw on his armour, grabbing his hammer as he was walking out the door. By the forge, he was so late. He normally had plenty of time to debrief the night watch before his morning briefing with Avad, but as it was he would only just make it to the throne room on time.

The two heads of the watch that had been on duty the night before were standing on the corner of the street, waiting for him. It wasn’t usual for them to be there, but then again it wasn’t usual for Erend to be so delayed. They must have anticipated the need to do a speed briefing as he walked to the palace.

“Good morning, Captain! Bit of a late start this morning. Everything all right?” Reemo asked, a twinge of concern in his voice.

“Everything’s fine, just running late.” Erend replied.

He didn’t see the glance that the two vanguard shared. They had had their suspicions, and seeing the spring in his step this morning confirmed everything.

“Did you not sleep well, Captain? You’re looking a bit tired this morning.” 

Erend let out an annoyed sigh. “I slept fine, Sorka. Now drop it and let’s get on with it. Did anything happen last night?” 

Sorka and Reemo exchanged a knowing look behind Erend’s back - they were both dying to ask him that very same question.

As they crossed the bridge and climbed the steps to the palace, Reemo and Sorka told Erend about what had happened in the city during the night. There had been a fight outside of one of the taverns, but it was quickly broken up - the usual suspects. The soft blue glow of machine lights had been spotted in the distance, to the east. 

As they neared the top of the steps, Erend’s stomach growled loudly. 

“Sir, did you not have time to break your fast this morning?” Sorka asked, attempting to sound concerned and failing miserably at it.

Erend looked at her, and he knew that they had figured him out. He had to shut this down now, he told himself, before the joking got out of hand – or worse, got back to Aloy. He glared, a look that could have melted steel. Reemo started to snicker, and Sorka immediately joined him. 

“If you two slobbering idiots don’t knock it off RIGHT NOW, you WILL regret it.” Erend threatened. They both swallowed their laughter, not wanting to test his patience. They did, after all, want to have a day off sometime in the next few months.

Once they’d quieted down, Erend scowled at them both. “Anything else?”

Sorka’s lips were pressed together in a thin line, as she tried desperately not to smile. “Sir, no sir.”

Erend nodded. His stomach chose that moment to growl again, a reminder of which hunger he’d chosen to satisfy that morning.

Reemo snorted loudly, but immediately shook his head when Erend whipped around to glare at him, as if to say “not laughing, I’m not laughing”. His lips had all but disappeared as he pulled them into his mouth, biting down to keep his laughter from escaping. 

“GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!” Erend yelled at them, as they turned and fled. He stomped up the remaining stairs and made his way to the throne room. 

Erend’s morning briefing with Avad was mercifully short. There wasn’t much to report, other than that Erend would be sending out a few scouts to investigate machine sightings to the east. Recruit training was ongoing, and all six were doing very well. 

Once Avad had dismissed him, Erend headed towards the vanguard hall to give the patrols their routes and assignments. He made a quick detour through the market to grab some bread, which he ate hungrily as he walked. He didn’t want to have a repeat of his earlier embarrassment. But the moment that Erend walked into the vanguard hall, the way that everyone turned to look at him told him that word had gotten around. By the forge, he thought, did anyone mind their own business? 

Kort greeted him with an enormous smile. “Good morning, sir! What a beautiful day it is today! It must be what’s put that spring in your step!” That it was overcast and threatening to rain didn’t seem to matter to Kort one bit.

Erend marched to his spot at the front of the room and snarled. “Shut it, all of you, and listen up! Patrols for today have been posted. Ando, Senoa, Taesl, you three head east. Machines were spotted last night. Kill them if you can, report back immediately if it’s a bigger threat.”

Erend paused, already regretting his next word. “Questions?”

A lot of looks passed between the vanguard, each taunting the other into being the first to feel the Captain’s wrath.

“Captain, excuse me sir, but you have bread crumbs on your scarf.” Ando pointed out in a mockingly helpful tone. “I know that it’s not a question, but you wouldn’t want anyone to think that you’d had breakfast on the run this morning, or anything like that.”

“Right, that’s it.” Erend said, fuming. “Every last one of you is going to give me two extra hours of drills at the end of your shift. Maybe then, you’ll be too tired to stick your noses where they don’t belong.”

A grumble went through the room, which made Erend even madder.

“OUT!” Erend screamed at the top of his lungs, causing everyone to jump. “Get your asses out there and get to work!” The vanguard all scrambled, grabbing their weapons and helms. 

Once the room had cleared out, Erend sat down in his chair at the front of the hall. Normally, this kind of teasing didn’t bother him very much, but with Aloy it was different. She’d be mortified if she found out that the vanguard all knew what they’d done last night. And this morning. Erend smiled dreamily as he leaned back into his chair. He still couldn’t believe that it had happened. Being with Aloy was unlike anything he’d ever experienced, it almost seemed surreal. He’d never loved any of the women he’d been with before. He’d barely cared at all about most of them. But sharing himself with Aloy, showing her how much he loved her, it was all new to him.

He was lost in his reverie for a while before he came back down to earth. He’d interlocked his fingers over his head while he was daydreaming, and he could feel the stubble on his scalp under his hands. He had a bit of time, he thought, better go see Arlo.

Erend made his way to the Oseram barber’s shop. It wasn’t far from the hall, as the men of the vanguard were his biggest clients. Erend walked in to the shop and greeted Arlo.

“Good morning, Erend! Come, sit, I’ve got time for you right now.” Arlo called to him, waving him over towards the barber’s chair. 

Erend went and sat down in front of the old barber, who was already reaching for the cloth to drape around Erend’s shoulders.

“Erend, my good man, you’re looking well today.” Arlo said brightly, smiling at him.

By the forge, not him too. Erend sighed. “Alright, who spilled?”

“Spilled, Erend, I don’t know what you mean.”

Erend tilted his head back as Arlo began to work, the task as familiar to him as it was to the barber himself.

“If you’re asking me if one of your men has talked to me about you, the answer is no.” Arlo said. Erend shot him a confused look as he wiped the blade of his razor on the cloth.  
“No one has spoken to me about it because they didn’t have to. Erend, I’ve been cutting your hair at least twice a week for years. I know you. I have seen you carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders lately, and at first I thought that it was because of the battle for Meridian. But when you got back from The Claim, the weight on your shoulders had grown heavier, much heavier.” The old man paused as he took another swipe at Erend’s scalp. “I’ve been on this earth for a long time, and I know young love when I see it. It’s written all over you, Erend, as if it were glyphs on a scroll. You have found your match in this life, I know it. Nobody had to tell me. You told me yourself when you walked in.”

“Am I really that transparent?” Erend asked.

“I’m afraid so, young man. It’s not a bad thing. The people who know you, who care about you, can see that you’ve given your heart to another. It makes us happy, to know that you’re happy.”  
_____________

Erend rushed home that evening, eager to be back in Aloy’s arms. She greeted him at the door, jumping in to his arms as he walked in. He kissed her hungrily and carried her straight upstairs, not even stopping to take off his armour.

  
  
  
  
  
  


NOTES:  
For this chapter, the soundtrack will be divided into chunks.

Chapter 1 Soundtrack: Erend's fight  
(note: I don't listen to the same kind of music as Erend does, so I'm not totally sure that these are the best songs to accompany his barroom brawl, but they were the ones that I could find that best seemed to fit.)  
Guerilla Radio - Rage Against the Machine  
You're Going Down - Sick Puppies  
Bodies - Drowning Pool

Chapter 1 Soundtrack: Stargazing  
A Long Walk - Jill Scott  
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones  
Like a Star - Corinne Bailey Rae  
Yellow - Coldplay  
Cosmic Love - Florence + The Machine  
Moonglow - Diana Krall  
Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin  
Gimme Your Love - Morcheeba  
Hi! Thank you for rejoining the story of Journeys toward dawn! This is the part of the story where we finally delve into Erend and Aloy's relationship as it evolves beyond friendship. As always, I welcome any thoughts or feedback that you may have about this work.

I feel that I should mention that the chapters will be slower in being posted this time around. There are a few reasons for that. 1) Work is insane these days, so I don't have much spare time for review/rewrites/edits/etc. (and as you likely remember, my chapters tend to be quite long, so these things take a while); 2) For some reason, my brain has been flooded with ideas for two follow-up stories and a prequel. Stupid brain, I have to finish this story before I can write any others! Grrr....; and 3) Having never written a love scene before, I had no idea just how complicated they were to write, so it's slow going. All that to say, I apologize in advance if there are a couple of weeks between updates. I thought about waiting to post this first chapter, but I ultimately decided that posting it would help to light the fire under my butt, to get the rest done.


	2. Winskill

Erend quickly discovered that, once they had shared themselves completely with one another, they couldn’t stop. His appetite for her was insatiable, a thirst that could never be quenched, and he’d hurry home at the end of every day to be with her. Wrapping his arms around her when he got home was the very best part of his day, and Erend was happier than he ever dreamed was possible.

Every experience with Aloy was completely new, like he was discovering sex all over again. Sometimes it was slow, tender and loving. Other times it was more urgent, with an aggression driven by their passion for one another. But there was always a connection, the closeness between them, the love that they shared fueling the experience. Erend couldn’t help but feel humbled, that Aloy was willing to share herself so completely with him, to open herself up to him in this way. 

Every night, after they’d made love, they’d lay tangled together in bed, talking. Erend had always found it so easy to talk to Aloy, but now even more so. He wanted to share every part of himself with her, didn’t want to hold anything back. Even if they were just telling each other about their day, every moment with her was special.

One evening, while they were talking, Aloy looked at him with sadness in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked her quietly.

“It’s nothing, really. It’s just that, talking to you like this reminds me of our travels together. We’d sit and watch the sunset until the stars came out, and then we’d talk. I miss that, that’s all.”

“So do I. I loved sharing that with you.” Erend brushed her cheek with his thumb. His duties kept him late, they both knew, so they couldn’t share a sunset as long as they were in Meridian. It would have to be something that they shared only when they traveled together.  
_______________

The next afternoon, Aloy was in the sitting room crafting arrows when there was a knock at the door of the apartment. She opened the door to discover Senoa standing there.

“Is something wrong? Is Erend alright?” Aloy asked, alarmed at seeing the vanguard woman at the door.

“Yes, everything’s fine. The Captain has requested your presence. I can take you to him, if you wish.”

Aloy nodded and closed the door behind her. Senoa led her to the palace balcony that looked out over the forest below. It was the one where they’d stood to say their first goodbyes, the one they’d visited on the night of Avad’s feast. Aloy thought of it as ‘their’ balcony, if she were honest, so she was glad to see Erend coming around the corner to meet her there. Senoa slipped away, her task accomplished.

He leaned down and kissed her. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what we talked about last night. I have to be here until after dark, we both know that, but I was wondering if you wanted to stay here with me for a little while, and watch the sunset?”

Aloy’s eyes filled with tears. “I’d like that very much.”

Erend cupped her cheek. “Heh, heh don’t cry. If you cry, then I’m going to cry. And then neither of us will see anything.”

Aloy laughed and nodded, wiping the tear that fell from her eye. They turned to look west, towards the setting sun. Erend wrapped his arm around her back, his hand on her hip, and pulled her close. He resented his armour, and the distance that it kept between them, but didn’t dwell on it as they looked out over the forest below. 

The sunset that night was beautiful, the sky a palette of pinks and purples. Neither of them said anything as they watched, both just enjoying a moment spent together. Once the sun was gone and the sky began to fill with stars, Erend reluctantly let his hand fall from her hip.

“Well, I have to go back now. But I’m really happy that we did that.” he said, both happy to have shared the moment with her and sad that it was over.

“Me too.” Aloy said with a wistful smile.

“Then let’s do it again tomorrow, OK?” Erend asked, and Aloy nodded. “Alright, well I’ll see you at home.” He bent and gave her a long, tender kiss. “I love you.” he said, before turning and heading back towards the palace’s main building. 

Aloy slowly made her way back to the apartment, marveling at the moment they’d shared. It was the little things that Erend did for her that made her feel so special. She thought that this might become their nightly ritual, to steal a few moments away together, and the thought made her heart swell. 

As they laid beside one another later that night, Erend’s arm wrapped around Aloy, his hand gently stroking her hair, he began to think of their first nights together. The sunset they’d shared reminded him of all of the other parts of their trip, and all of the thoughts that had run through his head over the course of those few weeks. He leaned over her and kissed her deeply before looking into her eyes.

“Aloy, you can’t even begin to imagine how many nights I laid awake, dreaming of doing this.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You know, there were a few nights, during our trip to The Claim, that I thought I would go mad. It was so hard not to touch you, to kiss you. I knew that I couldn’t, but I never stopped wanting to.”

“I’m sorry Erend.” Aloy said sadly, her heart heavy at the thought of the heartbreak she’d caused him.

“Don’t be, I’m not. The way I see it, that was the path that we needed to take to get to where we are now. Maybe, if I had told you how I felt the night of Avad’s feast, you wouldn’t have been ready to love me back.”

“Wait, Avad’s feast? You were going to tell me the night of Avad’s feast?”

“Sort-of. I was going to tell you that I liked you, as more than a friend, and that I wanted to be with you. But I wouldn’t have been ready to tell you that I loved you, not then.”

“So, all those nights that we spent sharing blankets, or sharing a bed, you were thinking about touching me? I’d snuggle up and go to sleep, while you laid awake and thought about being with me?”

“Pretty much, yah.”

Aloy looked at him coyly. “What sorts of things did you think about doing?” 

He grinned. “Let me show you.”  
_____________________

The harvest was progressing well, and the Harvest Festival was fast approaching. The city began to buzz with anticipation as the decorating began and the party invitations went out. 

“Best time of the year!” Erend exclaimed as he and Aloy walked down the street towards the tavern. It had been over 2 weeks since they’d been out, having been…. otherwise occupied. It was time for them to make an appearance, at least.

“Heh, I was wondering, have you given any thought to your Winskill costume?” he asked.

“Uh, no, not really. Nora warmaiden, maybe?”

“Come on Aloy! You have to dress up!”

“Dress up as what? I don’t have a costume or anything like that.”

“I’ve got an idea for something that we can do together, if you want.”

Aloy looked at him with a glimmer of apprehension, but Erend didn’t notice as he chattered, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “I was thinking that we could go as Tyr and Valka.” 

Those names were familiar to her, but Aloy had to think about it for a while before she could place them. Finally, she remembered. “From that Oseram legend you told me about when we were walking to The Claim? The, uh…”

“The God of War and the Maiden of Death, that’s the one.”

“Aren’t they the ones that are supposed to have destroyed the Old Ones?”

“Yah, and then they forged the Oseram. I just thought that it fit, you know, given all that you’ve learned about the Old Ones. Plus, you’re already sort-of a maiden of death anyway, and I could be mistaken for a god of war….” he joked, puffing out his chest. 

Aloy smacked his arm, laughing. “Yah, alright, that sounds good.”

“Great! I’ll take care of the costumes, leave everything to me.”

The vanguard in the tavern whistled and cheered the moment they walked in, waving them over to the table. “We were beginning to think that we’d never see you again!” Ando said, patting Aloy on the back. She blushed, her eyes on the floor. 

“Heh, come on Ando. Don’t embarrass her.” Senoa scolded. “Ignore him.” she told Aloy. “He’s an idiot.”

“We were just talking about our plans for the festival.” Kort said. “Thokar and I were thinking about throwing a party this year, unless anyone else has already decided to throw one?”

“Well, Avad is planning a big Winskill bash this year, something private. He told me that all of the vanguard and their partners were invited.” Erend offered. “Otherwise, I don’t think anyone has anything planned.”

“Oh, well we won’t be able to compete with that!” Kort said, chuckling. “Maybe just a feast at our place some other night then.”

“That would be great.” Erend said, smiling as he slapped Kort on the back. A feast was a fantastic idea, he thought, in no small part because Kort’s partner Thokar was an amazing cook.

“Alright, well that settles it. A feast for the vanguard it is!” Kort said enthusiastically. 

Everyone at the table cheered loudly, clinking their mugs together.

“Aloy, have you ever been to a Harvest Festival before?” Senoa asked.

She shook her head. “No, I haven’t. Erend’s told me about it though.”

“Ah, it’s so much fun! Good food, good music, lots of dancing. You’ll love it.”

“So, Erend, have you decided on your costume yet?” Griff asked.

“Yah, but it’s a surprise.”

“I don’t doubt!” he said. “Aloy, did Erend also tell you about his infamous Winskill costumes?”

“He just said that it’s his favourite night of the year, and that we have to dress up.”

Laughter erupted from every member of the vanguard, Erend included. “Our Erend is known for his crazy costumes. By the forge, one year he went as a tree. A giant tree, with leaves and everything. I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“Heh, now, don’t go scaring her. I’m keeping it on this side of reasonable this year.” Erend said, still chuckling.

“Well, I guess there’s a first for everything.”

Erend and Aloy stayed at the tavern just long enough to eat their supper and have a drink, but excused themselves as soon as they were done.

“It’s a bit early yet, isn’t it?” Roan asked, a knowing smile on his face.

“Not even a little.” Erend replied, waving them off as he headed towards the door. He ignored the peals of laughter that followed him, his mind already on the evening’s next event.

____________________________

The opening day of the Harvest Festival finally arrived, and with it all of the wonderful sights and smells of the season. After his morning briefings, Erend took a few minutes to stop at home.

“Come on, there’s something that I have to show you.” he told Aloy, urging her out the door. He took her hand and led her through the city towards his favourite bakery, tucked away in a quiet corner of the market.

He gave the baker a few shards as he pointed towards a tray full of little white cakes, then held up two fingers. The baker took two cakes from the top of the pile and handed them to Erend.

“OK. These are Sun Cakes, and you can only get them during the Harvest Festival.” he said.

Aloy watched as Erend took a big bite, his eyes closing as he groaned softly. “Uh, so good.” he whispered.

Aloy took a bite of her cake, her mouth instantly filling with a taste both sweet and tart.

“Oh my.” she said, covering her mouth with her hand. 

“I knew you’d like them.” Erend said, smiling, before taking another bite of his cake.

Even though they tried to take their time and savour their special treats, the tiny cakes were gone all too soon. Erend brushed his hands together, shaking the last of the crumbs from his fingers. “Alright, well, I have to go. I have to go with Avad to the temple for the offering of the first loaves, which starts mid-morning, and I can’t be late. See you at sunset?”

“I’ll be there.” Aloy replied as she stood on her toes and kissed the sugar from his lips. “Have a good day.”

“You too. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

As Erend walked away, he replayed her last words in his head. He could hear her say that she loved him every day for the rest of his life, and those words would still send a little shiver down his spine every time.  
______________

Erend and Aloy walked hand in hand down the street, Erend guiding them towards Kort and Thokar’s apartment. He chatted excitedly, looking forward to a good party with good friends.

Kort opened the door almost as soon as Erend had knocked, a big smile springing to his lips as he greeted them and waived them in. The sitting room was already filled with people, some Aloy knew and others that she didn’t. 

“Aloy, this is my partner Thokar.” Kort told her, placing his hand on Thokar’s arm. 

Thokar extended his arm, a warm smile on his face. “Aloy, little firefly, it’s so wonderful to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.” she replied.

“I have to ask you,” Thokar said, turning his attention to Erend. “Was it you who had the tavern send over an entire barrel of brew this afternoon?”

Erend blushed, his eyes dropping to the floor. He had been hoping that they wouldn’t mention it. 

“Because everyone already threw in a few shards for brew. You didn’t have to do that, you know.” 

“Yah, I know. What can I say? I was thirsty.”

Thokar gave him a gentle slap on the back. “You’re a good man, my friend.”

Erend smiled at him, giving him a little nod. “Well, are you going to offer us some of that brew or what?”

“Of course!” Kort replied, heading towards the kitchen. “Aloy, you prefer mead if I remember?”

“Yes, please!” she called out after him as he disappeared into the kitchen. 

They moved into the sitting room, greeting the smiling people that were mingling there. Kort appeared with their drinks, and Erend took a long pull from his mug. He guided Aloy around the room, smiling widely as he introduced her to the partners of the Vanguard men and women.

“Aloy, this is Nuala, Roan’s partner, and that’s Kesayna, Ando’s partner.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Aloy replied warmly.

“So this is the infamous Aloy?” Nuala said, her eyes lighting up. “I was hoping that I would get to meet you tonight. Roan has told me so much about you.”

Aloy stammered, not quite sure how to respond. 

“My apologies Aloy, I should have thought – he told me that you were a bit shy.” Nuala said quickly, a kind smile on her lips. “It’s so nice to meet you, I’m glad that you’re here.”

In addition to all of the Vanguard and their partners, Aloy and Erend greeted the six Junior Recruits; Arlo, the Oseram barber; Akoulina, the Vanguard’s armoursmith; Fain, the Vanguard’s weaponsmith; and the Vanguard trainingmaster, Burk.

“Alright everyone, food’s ready!” Thokar called out over the crowd, quickly jumping out of the way of the stampede of Vanguardsmen who came barreling towards him. The Vanguardswomen hung back, shaking their heads at their comrades. The burly men filled their plates with piles of the most amazing smoked salmon, roasted vegetables, and roasted boar with a thick fruit sauce. Erend couldn’t help but smile when he saw the orange coloured sauce, winking at Aloy as he spooned a second helping of sauce onto his plate. 

Sorka noticed the blush on Aloy’s cheeks. “What’s that about?” she asked teasingly.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Aloy deflected, moving to take her place in the line for food. 

“Mmmhmm, right.” Sorka scoffed, taking her place in line behind Aloy.

Once everyone had filled their plates and found a place to sit, the feasting began in earnest. For Erend, it was almost like being back with his clan, the Vanguard like a second family to him. 

“Heh.” he began, his voice rising above the din. “Given that the Harvest Festival is supposed to be about being thankful and whatnot, I just wanted to say…. thanks for being there for me this past year. I know that I didn’t always make it very easy. Anyway, I appreciate it.”

When he noticed that the entire group had stopped eating and was staring at him, soft smiles on many of their faces, he was suddenly very self-conscious. He let out a loud huff. “Now shut up and eat.” he said gruffly.

They enjoyed the rest of their meal in relative silence, too wrapped up in the delicious food Thokar had prepared to do much chatting. But as the feasting began to wind down, the drinking ramped up. They were, after all, Oseram. The crowd got louder and louder as they got more and more drunk, laughter ringing out as they joked and teased one another. 

Erend kept his drinking to a minimum, much to the chagrin of his Vanguard. His final promise to Ersa was always there, in the back of his mind, and he was finding it easier and easier to honour that promise as time went on. The man that he was today was not the same irresponsible boy who had knelt with her on that cold floor near Pitchcliff all those months ago. His life was almost unrecognizable now, having been turned completely upside down. He couldn’t say that he regretted the change.

Instead of overindulging, he kept his attention on Aloy. If she was near him, his hand always found its way to her back. If she wasn’t, his eyes were following her around the room, a quiet smile always on his lips.

Nuala couldn’t help but notice the way that Erend was looking at Aloy, and leaned towards Roan’s ear. “Does he always look at her like that?” she whispered.

Roan looked up at his Captain and smiled. “Yah, all the time.” He began to chuckle when he noticed Erend go over to Aloy and take her by the hand, pulling her into his arms for a quick kiss.

“By the forge, Erend, can’t you keep your hands to yourself?” Kort yelled from across the room. Erend pulled a face as the entire room burst into laughter, and leaned down to kiss her again. Part of him wanted to make a showy display of it, but the soft blush on her cheeks made him hold back - he didn’t want to embarrass her more than he already had.

As the evening continued, Thokar happened to notice that there was a dance just outside their front door – a not uncommon sight during the Harvest Festival. Their supply of brew growing dangerously low, the decision was made to move the party outside. 

As the Vanguard and their partners poured out into the street, laughing and clapping along with the lively music, Erend took the opportunity to steal another kiss. This one was not the hasty peck he’d given her earlier, but a long, deep kiss that he’d been waiting all evening for. When they finally broke apart he looked at Aloy, his eyes burning. He gave her another quick kiss and took her hand, leading her towards their friends now dancing madly in the street.  
______________________

At long last, Winskill had finally arrived. 

Erend and Aloy walked hand-in-hand down the street towards the small shop used by Avad’s personal tailor. Because they would be honoured guests at his party, Avad had insisted that they visit his tailor to have their costumes made. Erend had already made several visits, describing each costume in vivid detail. He hadn’t yet seen the finished product, and he hoped that both of the costumes would be as he had envisioned them. Every Oseram who saw them would immediately know who they were supposed to be, if the tailor got things right.

The streets were already filled with people, most in costumes, and a few already well on their way to being drunk. The party had started early for them, Erend thought to himself as two revelers stumbled past them arm in arm. 

A tiny bell jingled when Erend opened the door to the tailor’s shop, announcing their arrival. The tailor looked up from his table and smiled.

“Ah! At last! Erend, welcome. This must be Aloy.”

“It is. Are the costumes ready?”

“They are. I put the finishing touches on them yesterday, as a matter of fact. My assistant has gathered all of the paint and glue that you’ll need, too.”

“Wait. Paint? Glue?” Aloy asked, a touch of alarm in her voice.

“That’s just for me. Don’t worry about it, your costume has nothing like that.”

“Well, Erend, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you into the back to get changed. Once you’re dressed, my assistant will help you with your hair and paint. Aloy, your dress is in that dressing room there. I’ll help you with the rest of the costume once you have it on.”

Erend followed the tailor into a large room at the back of the shop and heard the swish of a curtain closing behind him, leaving him alone in the room. He saw the pile of blackened leather on the small bench against the wall and smiled. By the forge, this was going to be great! He quickly took off his armour, pants, and tunic, then grabbed the soft leather pants that were neatly folded on the bench. It was a bit of a struggle to get them on, but he eventually did, and quickly laced up the front. Next came the heavy leather boots, the leather bracers, and the scabbard with its giant sword. Once the weapon was securely belted around his hips, he opened the curtain and made his way back towards the main part of the shop. 

When the tailor’s assistant saw him, he nodded approvingly. “How does it feel?”

“It feels good.” Erend replied. “I’m not really used to wearing pants this tight, though.”

“You’ll be fine.” the assistant said reassuringly. “Let’s start with your hair, OK?” he added, motioning to a nearby chair.

Once Erend had settled into the chair, the young assistant reached for a small pot, twisting off the lid. He began to rub the sticky goop into Erend’s hair, lifting it away from his scalp between the palms of his hands.

“So, we’re going for something that looks like a blade, right?” he asked.

“That’s right. Like the business end of a war axe.” 

“So, your guy had an axe blade sticking out of his head?” the assistant asked skeptically.

“Uh, yah. He’s the God of War for a reason.”

“Sure, alright.” the young Carja man said, clearly unconvinced. “Anyway, this glue should harden pretty quickly, so your hair should stay like this until you wash it.”

“Great.” Erend replied.

Once his hair had dried into place, the assistant began working on Erend’s paint.

“Um, what’s that?” Erend asked as the young man moved towards him with a thin brush.

“I’m going to paint a bit of black, just around your eyes. It will make you look more menacing.”

Now it was Erend’s turn to be skeptical. “If you say so.” 

His eyes finished, Erend stood so that the young assistant could paint his chest and back. First came the dark grey streaks, long rough lines that crossed his chest from either shoulder. These streaks were repeated across his back, the dark grey meant to mimic steel. Next, droplets of red paint were splattered all over him, to look as if he had singlehandedly taken down a swath of enemies, their blood raining down upon him as he slayed them. 

The tailor’s assistant stood back to admire his work. “Well, I think that’s it, you’re all done. Just give the paint a few minutes to dry.”

Erend wandered around the shop for a bit as his paint dried, the assistant having quickly retreated into the back. He unsheathed the massive sword at his hip and gave it a few swings. He didn’t use swords very often, so it felt strange in his hands. Erend could see that it was incredibly sharp, the tailor having borrowed it from Avad’s armoury, so he carefully replaced it in its scabbard. It felt like the perfect finishing touch to his costume, a weapon befitting the God of War.

It was then that the tailor emerged from another part of the shop, talking over his shoulder.

“I’ve got a few more clips here at my table. That should be enough to make sure that those horns don’t move all night.”

Erend looked up at the sound of the tailor’s voice, and saw before him the perfect embodiment of Valka. It was as if the tailor had taken the legend and breathed life into it, so close was she to the story. 

Aloy was wearing a long gown, with a deep v in the front and a high slit that revealed her thigh with every step. It was like liquid metal, a burnished bronze silk that flowed over her every curve. Her hair was loose and wild, and nestled in it was a pair of curved horns. A piece of elaborately twisted metal encircled one of her biceps, the jewelry the source of her power according to legend. Her eyes had been painted to darken them, looking almost like smoke.

“So, what do you think? Is it as you wanted?” the tailor asked.

It took Erend a moment to realize that the tailor was addressing him. “She’s perfect.” he answered breathlessly.

“Excellent!” the tailor exclaimed, not noticing the look passing between Aloy and Erend. He grabbed the clips from his table and finished securing the horns to Aloy’s head, fluffing her hair around the band to hide it. 

“Aloy, you look….” Erend started, losing his train of thought as Aloy slowly approached him.

“Perfect?” she teased.

“Better than perfect.” 

“You look pretty perfect yourself.” Aloy whispered, her eyes roaming across his bare chest.

Erend held out his elbow towards her, smiling when she linked her arm around it. They thanked the tailor as they headed out into the street, bound for the palace.

____________________

Erend wrapped his arm around Aloy’s lower back, resting his hand on her hip, as he led her into the ballroom. It had been lavishly decorated, reams of colourful silk draped across the ceiling and down the walls, waving in the gentle breeze from the open windows.

A table overflowing with food stood against the far wall, and another table sat next to it, this one overflowing with barrels of brew and bottles of wine. 

“By the Sun, Aloy! You are truly breathtaking!” Avad exclaimed as he came to greet them. “Erend, thank you for coming.”

“This is amazing!” Aloy exclaimed, looking around the room. She’d never seen anything like it.

“Best day of the year!” Avad said enthusiatically.

“That’s what I’ve been telling her.” Erend added, chuckling.

“And now, because I’m terrible at these things, I have to ask – what is your costume?” Avad asked, somewhat sheepishly.

“No worries, Avad. We’re characters from an old Oseram legend. Tyr and Valka, the God of War and the Maiden of Death.” Erend replied. “And yours is…..”

“Is a turkey, of course.” Avad said with a smirk. “Like I said, I’m terrible at these things.”

The three of them laughed, then Avad excused himself to greet the next guest.

Erend and Aloy began to circulate among the partygoers, greeting people as they went. The members of the Vanguard immediately recognized the characters from the familiar legend, Aloy’s horns a dead giveaway. 

“Look at you two! Tyr and Valka, what a fantastic idea!” Kesayna exclaimed when she saw the pair. “And if I may, Aloy, you look absolutely stunning in that dress.”

“And Erend looks cold, wandering around shirtless like that.” Ando added, his eyes sparkling as he teased his Captain.

Now it was Kesayna’s turn to tease. “Careful, honey. We wouldn’t want people to think that you’re jealous of him.” 

Ando’s cheeks flamed as everyone laughed, watching Erend flex his thick bicep for added effect. “I’ve got big muscles too, you know.” he added brusquely.

“Of course you do dear.” Kesayna said, patting his arm reassuringly. 

“I like his costume, the grey paint brings out the colour of his eyes.” Aloy interjected, a soft blush rising to her cheeks.

“Is that the only thing that you like about it?” Kesayna asked, her eyebrows bouncing. Her taunting made Aloy’s face immediately go from blush to bright red.

Erend cleared his throat, his own cheeks tinged pink. “Alright, alright, that’s enough about my costume already.”

When Kesayna’s laugh had faded, she took Ando’s arm. “That’s enough teasing for now. Let’s leave these two lovebirds alone and get another drink.” she said, steering Ando towards the brew table.

As they slowly made their way around the room, greeting each of their friends in turn, Erend couldn’t help but notice the way that some of the guests were looking at Aloy. Even a few members of the Vanguard, who were obviously trying hard not to stare, kept letting their eyes wander to her and that dress. Erend did his best to ignore it, trying not to let his jealousy get the better of him. They could look, he told himself, but she was here with him.

It wasn’t until they reached Senoa and her new boyfriend Jax that the appreciative looks really got to him.

“Ah, the horned seductress, draped in metal. You can only be death’s maiden, Valka. You are even more beautiful than legend describes.” Jax said as he took Aloy’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Which makes you Tyr.” he added, turning to Erend.

Erend painted a smile on his lips and nodded, but inside he was bristling. That Jax would dare to flirt so shamelessly right in front of him, and in front of Senoa, was deeply insulting. He could see Senoa’s reaction to her boyfriend’s flirtation, her eyebrows knitting themselves together. 

“I’m going to get another drink.” she said humourlessly, then turned and stomped away.

Jax barely took his eyes off of Aloy long enough to acknowledge Senoa. His eyes didn’t even leave her when Erend wrapped his arm around her, a possessive move that he wasn’t particularly proud of, but which was infinitely better than punching the guy. 

“You don’t look Oseram.” Jax said, his eyes roving up and down her body. “So what made you decide to dress as Valka?” he asked, completely ignoring Erend.

“It was Erend’s idea.” Aloy replied, reaching to brush her fingers against his hand. She was beginning to feel uneasy, sensing the tension in Erend’s body. There was something going on, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Well, any idea that puts a woman like you in a dress like that is a good one.” 

Aloy heard a soft growl escape from Erend at Jax’s words, and she could feel the waves of aggression radiating out from him. It was suddenly clear to her what the issue was.

“You know, I think that Senoa had the right idea. I’m going to go get another drink. Erend, would you like anything?” she asked, trying to get herself out of the sticky situation.

“Sure, thanks.” Erend replied, leaning down to kiss her. 

As Aloy walked away, Jax turned and began to walk away too, but Erend grabbed him by the elbow.

“Listen, you scorched out slag.” Erend said angrily, trying to keep his voice low. “I’ve done my fair share of flirting in the past, but I would never think of flirting with someone in front of their partner, or in front of mine. Where do you get off pulling a stunt like that?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Jax said, feigning innocence.

“Oh, no, of course you don’t.”

Jax and Erend stood toe to toe glaring at one another, their fists balled at their sides. A few of the Vanguard noticed the silent confrontation, and decided to step in. Erend was taller and several times bigger than the man he was staring down, and if things escalated it was going to get very bloody, very quickly.

“Jax!” Griff said as he walked up to the pair. “I was on patrol with Senoa the other day, and she told me that you can do some sort of trick with tree fruit.”

Jax reluctantly broke eye contact and looked at Griff. “That’s right.” he said curtly. 

“I’d love it if you could show me.” Griff said, a little over enthusiastically. 

“Sure.” Jax reluctantly replied. He turned and followed Griff towards the food table on the other side of the room.

Senoa quickly walked over to her Captain, who was taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. “I’m so sorry about that.” she whispered to him.

“Why? You didn’t do anything.” 

“I brought him, didn’t I? But don’t worry, after that nonsense, I’m done with him. I don’t need that in my life. Just try to enjoy the rest of the party, OK?.”

Erend watched as Senoa made her way over to Jax, taking him by the arm and leading him outside. Aloy quietly reappeared by his side, taking his hand and squeezing it.

“It’s really too bad.” Erend said softly as he leaned over to kiss Aloy’s forehead. “Senoa is such a great person, but she has the most rotten luck when it comes to love.”

Aloy nodded - she really liked Senoa. They continued to stand together, hand in hand, as the party continued around them. 

“Erend, you know that no one could ever steal me away from you, right?” she whispered.

He sighed, his head slumping to his chest. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Aloy. I just….. Sometimes I think that you’ll wake up one morning and realize that I’m not good enough for you.”

“STOP THAT.” Aloy insisted, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. “Erend, that is ridiculous. You know, I wish that you could see yourself through my eyes. You’d see someone who is handsome, and strong, and gentle. You would see your bravery, your generosity, your kindness, your thoughtfulness. You’d see that you are everything that I could ever want in a partner.” she paused, giving him a tender kiss. “I can feel how much you love me Erend, can’t you feel how much I love you?” 

He nodded. 

“Well trust that. When your mind tells you to doubt yourself, trust THAT. Trust ME. Can you do that?”

He gave her a little smile and nodded again. She was right, of course she was right. He had trusted her to find Ersa. He had trusted her with his life, standing beside her against an unknown enemy at the Spire. He had trusted her with his grief. He trusted her with his heart, every moment of every day. He KNEW that he could trust her love. Even when he couldn’t trust himself, he could trust her.

Aloy reached around his neck, drawing him down to her lips. She kissed him deeply, pouring her love into the kiss. His hands found her waist, pulling her closer, letting the feeling wash over him.

Once they’d rejoined the party, now mercifully Jax-free, things got easier. Erend relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the evening, eating and drinking with his friends. They laughed and joked with Avad and the Vanguard, trading jabs back and forth. They swapped tales of glories and embarrassments past, and the Vanguard finally got to hear the story of the night Erend admitted his feelings to Aloy. 

Much to the amusement of their friends, Erend and Aloy took advantage of every opportunity to sneak away to kiss, ducking into darkened corners for a few minutes before rejoining the group. But after each interlude, it became increasingly difficult for Erend to focus on the conversations going on around him, his wandering mind too preoccupied to be of much use.

______________

Erend hadn’t been able to keep his hands off of Aloy all night. His hand always found its way to the small of her back, or to her hip, or to her hand. Her dress gave him all sorts of wicked ideas, and as the night wore on, the drinks they’d had made them grow bolder.

“Let’s go find someplace a little more private.” Erend whispered into her ear as he nuzzled against her neck, the corner they’d chosen still not affording them the privacy that he craved.

He took her hand and led her out of the ballroom, turning down a dark corridor. They hurried, hand in hand, down the hallway until they reached a small alcove. Erend kissed her passionately, gently backing her against the wall. 

His kisses grew more frenzied when he felt Aloy wrap her leg around his waist, her bare leg escaping through the high slit on the front of her dress. Erend growled as she flexed her leg, pulling him into her. He reached under her thigh, sliding his hand to her backside, grabbing a handful of soft flesh. They ground themselves against one another as they kissed and groped. Erend could hear Aloy’s soft moans, and he wondered just how private this hallway was.

“Oh, excuse me. I didn’t realize…” Erend heard behind him.

Aloy jumped, dropping her leg from his waist and scrambling to adjust her dress.

“Avad.” Erend said, having recognized the voice. “Sorry, we were just, uh…”

“Don’t apologize, my friend, you have nothing to be sorry for. It’s not wrong for two people in love to sneak away for a kiss. Just as it wouldn’t be wrong for two people in love to, oh I don’t know, slip into an unused guest room, like that one over there.” Avad said, pointing to a nearby door.

Without waiting for a response, Avad turned on his heels and walked back the way he’d come. Got to love that guy, Erend thought.

Erend took Aloy’s hand and led her to the door that Avad had indicated. Erend didn’t normally come to the private residence wing of the palace, so he had never seen any of the bedrooms before. The room was immense, a bedroom more opulent than either of them had ever seen. An enormous bed was up on a platform in the middle of the room, the silk sheets shimmering in the lamplight. There was a canopy over the bed, with long curtains puddling on the ground at each corner.

He heard Aloy suck in a long breath, awed by the glamourous setting. But Erend’s attention had already passed from their surroundings to the beautiful woman standing beside him. He’d rather look at her than any room, no matter how it was decorated.

But when she turned to look at him, there was a glint in her eye that he’d never seen before. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, exactly, but his gut told him that he was going to like it.

“Take off your clothes.” she said in a sharp, authoritative tone.

Erend definitely liked take-charge Aloy.

“I said take them off. Now, Erend.” she snapped.

He jumped, and immediately reached for the belt of his scabbard, a giant smile finding its way to his face. 

She began to move across the room, slowly removing her dress as she went. “Until now, I’ve been asking for what I want, and you’ve been guiding me. But tonight, I’m not Aloy. I’m the Maiden of Death, and she never asks, she takes what she wants. Tonight, it’s your turn to ask.” 

She let the dress slip from her fingers, falling to the floor at her feet like a puddle of molten bronze. Her skin glistened in the lamplight, the perfumed oil she’d used reflecting the light. That, coupled with the horns she still wore on her head, made her look like a goddess come to life. 

When Erend had finished wiggling out of his leather pants, he stood on the spot, unsure of himself. He was so used to leading that he wasn’t sure what to do when Aloy was calling the shots.

“Kneel before me.” she ordered, a command which he promptly obeyed.

“If there is something that you want, you must ask for it. Do you understand?” she asked sternly. Erend nodded, not yet having found his voice.

Aloy lifted her leg and hooked it over his shoulder. “Kiss my thigh.”

Erend turned his head and kissed the soft skin of her inner thigh, nipping and licking between kisses.

“Pleasure me.” she commanded, leaning her shoulder blades on the wall behind her and sliding her thigh along his shoulder, opening herself up to him.

He leaned forward and did as he was told. He licked and sucked at her core, his fingers finding their way to her wetness. Her moans of pleasure filled the room, echoing around them.

“I want to touch myself.” he gasped between licks.

Aloy smiled. “You may.”

He wrapped his free hand around his pulsing dick, focusing his thumb on the tip. Damn, what he wouldn’t give for a bottle of oil right now.

She must have read his mind, because she reached down and grabbed a handful of his hair, gently pulling his head away from her and tilting it back. She leaned down and kissed him deeply. Erend knew that she could taste herself on his lips, his dick throbbing at the thought.

“Stand.” 

When he did, she placed her fingertips in the centre of his chest and began to walk forward, forcing him to step backwards towards the bed. When the backs of his legs hit the side of the mattress, she gave a gentle push, sending him toppling backwards onto the bed.

He looked up at her as he slid himself into the centre of the immense bed. The look on her face told him that she was enjoying this, maybe even as much as he was. Those horns, he thought to himself as he slid against the soft silk sheets. We have to keep those horns.

When he’d taken his position in the middle of the bed, she knelt on the bed and crawled towards him, a hungry, almost predatory look in her eyes. She licked her lips, as if she were ready to eat him alive. 

Aloy straddled him, looming over him. She grabbed his rock hard dick and teased it against herself. Erend reached down and grabbed her hips.

In a flash of movement, Aloy had wrapped her fingers around his wrists and pinned them to the mattress above his head.

“Ah, ah, ah.” she whispered into his ear. “If you want something, you must ask for it. You did not ask to touch me. Because you disobeyed, you must now beg for what you want. Disobey again, and I’ll tie you down.”

She released his wrists and sat back up, but Erend didn’t move his hands. He was so turned on that he could barely breath, ragged breaths ripping themselves from his lungs.

She grabbed his dick again, teasing the tip of it back and forth across her soft folds. He wanted to be inside her so badly that he couldn’t focus on anything else, his entire body crying out. He squirmed as she continued her tease.

“Please, I want to be inside you.” he begged, gasping.

She smiled a wicked smile as she slipped his tip into her wetness. Erend hissed as she slowly sunk towards his hips, fighting every urge to grab her.

Aloy began rocking against him. He watched her body as she moved, her breasts swaying with each roll of her hips. As she moved faster, her moans filled his ears and he clenched his hands, again fighting the urge to reach for her.

Erend let out a moan of his own when Aloy leaned back, placing one hand on the top of his thigh, while the other began to explore her body. He couldn’t take his eyes off her hand as it caressed her breast, then slowly slid down her stomach. She reached her fingers between her folds and found her clit, circling it. She rocked against him as she pleasured herself, and Erend thought that he would die.

“Let me touch you, please.” he asked as the spring within him coiled tighter.

She looked down at him and shook her head, denying him. He fisted the sheets and gritted his teeth as the pressure built inside him, reaching a fever pitch. 

“Please. Please. Please.” he repeated louder and louder with each ragged breath, but she ignored his pleas for mercy.

Finally, he couldn’t hold back any more. “BY THE FORGE, PLEEEEASE!” he screamed, and got the sharp little nod that he was so desperately waiting for.

His hands flew to her hips and he lifted her, furiously pounding himself into her. Her cries of passion mingled with his deep growl as they arrived together, the spasms of her body catapulting him into the stratosphere. 

She collapsed on top of him, panting and glistening with sweat. The paint that he’d used on his chest smeared, colouring Aloy’s breasts. These sheets would be ruined come morning, he thought – although he couldn’t really bring himself to care. Even if it took a month’s wages to replace them, it would still have been worth it. 

Aloy planted her hands on his chest and lifted herself, just enough to give him a lingering kiss.

“So?” she asked, becoming Aloy again.

A wide grin stretched from ear to ear. “Keep the horns.”

She laughed, and he could feel her stomach shaking against his. “Yah?”

“Most definitely.” he replied as he leaned up to kiss her.

But Erend’s night did not end there. They made love twice more, cuddling and kissing into the wee hours of the morning. It was exhaustion that finally drove them to stop, collapsing into a heap of tangled limbs.

Erend had no idea what time it was when he heard what sounded like a soft knock at the door. He had been fast asleep, so he couldn’t be sure. He got up and went to check, not thinking that he was about to answer a door in Avad’s palace, as naked as the day he was born.

Luckily, whomever had knocked was already gone. They had left a tray with two beautiful robes and a note.

Please come join me for breakfast on the terrace.  
-Avad

Erend picked up the robes and set them on a small table at the side of the room. He looked over at the bed – oh, those sheets were officially beyond saving, he thought – and saw that Aloy had begun to stir.

“Good morning.” he said as he went and leaned over her, kissing her gently.

She smiled at him, her eyes still half closed. “G’morning.” 

“Avad’s invited us for breakfast, out on his private terrace. He thought to send a couple of robes along with the invite. I guess he didn’t want to see me wearing nothing but leather pants this early in the morning.” Erend joked.

“I can’t say the same.” Aloy teased. She giggled when Erend arched an eyebrow. 

“You want more?” 

“Always.” she replied. 

It was then that Aloy noticed the mess they’d made of the sheets. The grey and red paint that had been so carefully applied to Erend’s chest and back had disappeared completely from his body, and had ended up all over Aloy and the beautiful silk sheets that surrounded her. 

Erend could see that she was getting upset. “Heh, don’t worry about it. I’ll talk to Avad, offer to replace them. It’s fine.”

“He won’t be mad?”

“Mad that we’ve wrecked some of his guest room sheets? I doubt it.”

Aloy slid out of bed and made her way towards the robes that Avad had sent. 

“But you might want to wash up a bit before putting that on. I’d hate to see us ruin more beautiful silk than we have to.” Erend said, holding in a laugh.

Aloy looked down at her body, and saw only a few small smears of paint on her breasts and stomach. She looked up at him, confused.

“The back of your legs.” he said, twirling his finger in the air.

Aloy looked over her shoulder and gasped. The backs of her legs looked like a war zone, with long streaks of grey and red along the length of them. 

Erend chuckled. “Must have happened when I had your knees around my ears. Or your ears. One or the other.” 

“Yah, no doubt, but I wonder which time.” Aloy said with a cheeky smile.

Erend laughed as she headed into the washing room.

“Heh, you don’t need to wait for me. I might be a while, and Avad’s waiting.” she called from within the cavernous room.

“You sure?” Erend asked.

“I’m sure. Go, I’ll catch up. I’m sure someone can point me in the right direction.” 

Erend slid on the robe, tying it tightly. It felt a little strange to be walking around in something like that, but his only other option was the leather pants he’d worn the night before, and those were even less appropriate. He called out a goodbye to Aloy as he left, then made his way to Avad’s personal terrace.

“Erend! I wasn’t sure if I would be seeing you this early.” Avad said, gesturing towards the chair opposite him. “Please, sit.”

Erend noticed that Avad was wearing a robe similar to the one that he now wore, and he suddenly felt less awkward. A mug of freshly squeezed juice appeared in front of him, as did a plate full of steaming hot food.

“You must be ravenous.” Avad said. “That was some night you had last night, my friend.”

Erend’s eyes shot up from his plate, meeting with Avad’s.

“My bedroom is just down the hall from that room, Erend, and you weren’t exactly being quiet. It’s a good thing that Itamen’s room is in the other wing because he would be getting a very informative talk this morning.” Avad said, laughing. “Oh, don’t worry about it Erend. I meant what I said, you know. Two people in love, coming together to share that love, is a beautiful thing. I know, I’ve been where you are.”

“Ugh, come on Avad, that’s my sister that you’re talking about. I really don’t want to know what you did with my sister.” Erend said, his voice tinged with disgust.

Avad chuckled. “Yah, alright, alright. But let me just say… A powerful woman, you know what I mean?” 

Erend buried his face in his hands, groaning loudly.

“Good morning Aloy!” he heard Avad say. “Care for some breakfast?”

 

  

Special thanks to tumblr users horizonzeronikola and dhysis, whose amazing screenshots were the inspiration for the ‘watching sunsets together on their balcony’.

Chapter Soundtrack: The Winskill “After party”  
#1 Crush – Garbage  
Ava Adore – Smashing Pumpkins  
U.R.A. Fever – The Kills  
Boys Wanna Be Her – Peaches  
Love Song - Snake River Conspiracy *  
Closer – Nine Inch Nails

*Special thanks to Michele G for the song suggestion. I had never heard it before, but it's a perfect fit!

Costume inspirations:  
Erend: Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones  
Aloy: Maleficent’s horns, Bronze dress worn by Jessica Chastain to the 2015 Golden Globes  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest reader,
> 
> A few things about this chapter that I wanted to share with you:
> 
> In the event that you’re worried that this story is about to descend into BDSM territory, fear not – that’s not where this is headed. (Apologies to those who were hoping that it was about to devolve into a BDSM story.) This last scene, with Aloy taking charge, was included because I wanted to explore that character’s growing comfort with her sexuality and sexual expression. She’s becoming more confident, more sure of herself. She’s also learning about what she enjoys, as well as what her partner enjoys. I thought that it was important to show that she was no longer the timid virgin that she had been only a few weeks before.
> 
> Which is not to say that their sex life is going to be vanilla, either – I mean, do either of these two strike you as ‘all missionary, all the time’ type people? I thought about what each of these characters would want, the types of things they’d do together, and what sorts of elements that would include. When you think about the violent, painful lives that they’ve led up to this point, I can see them both being comfortable with the idea of pain, and maybe exploring that together. So, I did actually consider including that sort of thing. But where that idea falls apart is in the execution of it. Either one might be curious about receiving pain, but I really don’t see either of them being comfortable in giving it – really, do you think that Erend could ever hurt her, even if she asked him to? Or she him? And there’s nothing less sexy than trying to get your partner to do something that they aren’t comfortable doing.
> 
> But heh, who knows what they do when we’re not there, right? Maybe Erend ends up blindfolded and tied to the bed at least once a week, for all we know.
> 
> AAAAAND now that I’ve just told you how much thought I’ve put into Erend and Aloy’s sex life, you probably think that I’m some dirty old lady (I can’t say for certain that I’m not, except that I’m not old.) To be fair, I’ve put this much thought into every other aspect of these two, so there’s that. I know that Erend’s favourite colour is red (and it was long before Aloy came along). I’ve thought about their pasts, their favourite foods, which is their least favourite machine to fight, everything. So no, I don’t sit around every day thinking about what they do to each other in private. Well, not EVERY day.
> 
> The other thing that I wanted to mention is how hard it is to write these scenes (ha ha, pun not intended). I don’t want to be too descriptive, instead showing you just enough to allow you to draw a picture in your mind – I want you to fill in the blanks for yourself, really. (it turns out that writing a sex scene is a lot like writing a fight scene. I want the reader to choreograph the scene for themselves, so that they can stay with ‘the action’ as it were – I can’t say whether I’ve done this successfully, but it’s what I’m going for.) I also don’t want to be too clinical, too technical – I refuse to use words like ‘insert’, ‘penis’, ‘vulva’ or whatever. I’m writing a love scene between a man and his true love, not a friggin medical textbook.
> 
> And finally, do you know how few synonyms there are for male and female body parts (at least, ones that are not childish euphemisms)? A big part of my problem is that I absolutely despise some of the words normally used when writing about this sort of thing. There are very few words in the English language that I vehemently detest, but unfortunately that short list includes both ‘cock’ and ‘cunt’. (Worse than ‘moist’, as far as I’m concerned.) Ugh, I really hate those words, so you’ll never see me use them. All of this to say – my apologies if you find the love scenes that I write to be overly repetitive in their word usage. I’ve been looking for alternatives, I swear. 
> 
> PS: If you’re worried about the number of sex scenes that you’ve seen so far in Part 2, fear not – we will, eventually, return to the story. My primary goal in writing is to craft a story that feels realistic and relatable. And in my experience, there’s always that intense rush at the beginning of a new relationship. There is so much sex, all of the time, when you first start sleeping with someone that you care about. And I mean SO. MUCH. SEX. But this relationship, like all others before it, will eventually settle into something a little more balanced. (Although the next chapter may make that assertion difficult to believe!)
> 
> PPS: If you were wondering, yes – Winskill is based on Halloween. And I’m with Erend on this one – my favourite day of the year!


	3. Decisions, Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The most heartfelt thanks to MightyLauren, who helped me finally overcome my writer's block! Your guidance was truly invaluable. 
> 
> A big thanks, too, for the readers who are following and commenting on this story - you're the reason that I never gave up. Thanks for sticking with me!

There was only one day a year that Erend always took off, and that was the day after Winskill. While he hadn’t gotten drunk this year, as he normally would have, he was still glad to have taken the day. It was a beautiful morning, he realized as they were leaving the palace after breakfast, probably one of the last they’d enjoy for quite some time.

Erend noticed that he was getting a few sideways looks from curious onlookers as they crossed the bridge, with his bare chest and tight leather pants. Whatever, he thought to himself, it was the day after Winskill. Seeing people crawling home in the morning, still in their costumes, was to be expected. Didn’t these people know that?

“You know, I almost never take a day off. I want to make the most of this one, and I know just how I’d like to spend it.” he said, taking Aloy’s hand and kissing the back of it.

“How’s that?”

“We’re going swimming.”

_____________

They walked slowly towards the lake, hand in hand. It wasn’t long before they arrived, the cool blue water calling to them. Erend thought back to the first time he’d brought Aloy swimming here, and how nervous and shy she’d been. She sure wasn’t shy around him anymore, something for which he would be forever grateful.

She tapped her focus and scanned the water and the surrounding forest for machines or bandits, then nodded to him as she tapped it off – they were safe. 

Aloy took off her armour and dropped it at her feet, the sparkling of the gentle ripples enticing her. She was reaching into the pack that Erend had brought when she paused, a thought occurring to her. She smiled to herself as she peeled off her leggings. She turned and slowly began to make her way to the water’s edge. Erend stopped fiddling with his own armour and watched her. She looked at him over her shoulder, the corners of her mouth curling up, before slowly removing her tunic. She tossed the ball of cloth back towards her pile of armour and waded into the water.

Erend had completely halted what he was doing as he watched her, the sun on her bare skin a sight that he couldn’t tear himself away from. When he did snap back to reality, it took only seconds for him to shrug off his own clothes and wade into the water behind her. 

He followed Aloy out into the water, stopping when he was chest-deep. He wanted to feel like himself again, and to do that he’d need to get rid of the last remaining bits of his Winskill costume. He dunked himself under the water, rubbing around his eyes to wash off the black paint around them. He then worked his fingers through his hair, trying to get some of the hardened glue out of it. He was trying to untangle his fingers from his stiff hair when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Lay back.” Aloy said as he emerged from under the water. “Let me do that for you.”

Erend laid back and floated beside her. He closed his eyes as she began to run her fingers along his scalp, working the glue from his hair. It was such a gentle touch that it sent shivers through him, relaxing him as she brushed. It was quite a while before he felt her hand on his cheek and opened his eyes.

“Alright, the sticky mess is all gone.” Aloy said, running her hands through his hair one last time, watching as it swayed beneath the water.

“Thanks, that was nice.” Erend said as he stood, wiping the water from his face.

“Did you fall asleep on me?” she asked.

Erend laughed. “Almost. But to be fair, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

They swam lazily, enjoying the cool water and warm sun on their skin. Erend treaded water and watched as Aloy floated around on her back, her hair spreading around her like a fan, the breeze making her nipples hard. He could only watch for a few minutes before the urge to kiss her overtook him. He swam over to her and put one arm under her back. She sat up, cupping his face with her hands and kissing him. 

Aloy wrapped her arms around Erend’s neck while he treaded water to keep them both afloat, and they just looked at one another. Erend gazed at all of the small things that were unique about her, things that he loved about her. He looked at the colour of her eyes in the bright sun, water droplets clinging to her eyelashes. He stared at her hair as it shone in the sun, a curtain of fire. He looked at her skin, so pale under the glare of the sun’s rays. She was so beautiful, it actually took his breath away.

He leaned towards her and kissed her again, an adoring kiss that grew more passionate as they drifted through the water. When Aloy’s hands moved to his shoulders, her fingers digging in to his skin, he began to push them towards the shore. They’d laid out a blanket, thinking that they’d need it for their picnic later, but he could think of a much better use for it now.

When the water was shallow enough for him to stand, he scooped Aloy into his arms. He felt the breeze against his wet skin as he walked out of the water, the warmth of the sun on his back. He carried her to the blanket and carefully knelt to set her down, then laid down alongside her, sliding his hand along the wet, slippery skin of her hip.

Erend thrilled a little at the thought that this moment between them was not entirely private. They were alone, but there was no guarantee that they would remain that way. The risk of being discovered, however unlikely, made his heart beat a little faster.

Aloy felt it too, if her frenzy of kisses were any indication. She reached down and stroked him, counteracting the effects of the cold lake water. She gently pushed him onto his back as she got to her knees, taking him in her mouth. 

Erend laid in the warm sun as the cool breeze brushed against his skin and his beloved Aloy pleasured him. Had a more perfect moment ever existed? There was only one thing missing, he decided.

“Come here, you.” he said as he sat up and grabbed her hips, feeling her hip bone pushing into the heel of his hand as he lifted her. She squealed in surprise as he laid back down, bringing her to rest above him, straddling his head. Now, he thought, it was perfect. 

Erend lifted his head and began to kiss her softness, while Aloy bent forward and returned her attention to him. Each moan from one sent shivers through the other as they licked, sucked, and touched one another, the gentle wind on their skin intensifying every sensation. 

______________

Afterwards, they laid out in the sun on their blanket, wrapped around one another. Aloy glanced down, looking at her leg that was hitched on top of his.

“It looks like my scars are starting to fade.” she noted, their colouration clear in the bright sunlight.

“Yah, I was noticing that.” 

“You know, I have a whole new respect for yours, now that I know what it takes to get them.” she said, running her finger along one of the old gashes on his chest. “But at least now, when we compare scars, I’ll have a few to point to.” she said jokingly.

“I’d still rather that you didn’t have them.” he replied somberly.

Erend felt her tense, and knew that he hadn’t expressed himself very well.

“Wait, I know how that sounded. I don’t mean that I wish that you were some flawless doll or something. I mean, I wish that you hadn’t had to go through that. I am so proud of you, for having been so strong after your accident, forge knows I wasn’t. But Aloy, I can’t count the number of times that I’ve had to be sewn up, or to have bones set, or wounds cleaned. I know exactly what that feels like, I KNOW what you went through in that healers’ hall. And I would have done anything to take your place that day, absolutely anything. 

Sometimes, I see your scars and I think about the pain that you had to endure, and how powerless I was to change any of it, how helpless and useless I felt. And you know what? It was easier for me to get my scars, than to watch you get yours. At least, when it’s my own pain, I can make myself think about something else. With yours, I couldn’t focus on anything but what you were going through. That day, I found out that your suffering is much harder for me to bear than my own.”

She reached up and laid her hand on his cheek. “Oh, Erend, I’m so sorry I put you through that.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Aloy. It was an accident, that’s all. But I know that I didn’t really handle things very well after it happened, and I guess I’m trying to explain why.”

Erend looked up at the clouds as they floated past, and let out a quick puff of air. “But, for the record, you will always be perfect in every way in my eyes. No scar could ever change that.”

Their lips met in a tender, loving kiss, his hand brushing against her back. She laid her head back down on his chest and resumed tracing the many white marks on his skin.

They’d lain there for a while, lazily enjoying their time together, when Erend suddenly heard a voice – and it was very close.

“SLAG!” he cursed, scrambling to sit up. They had mere seconds before they would be discovered, and their clothes were still laying on the ground beside their pack, which was over near the gazebo. Erend could feel Aloy hiding herself behind him, pressing her breasts against his back as she slung her arm over his shoulder, her hand against his chest. He grabbed a corner of the blanket and flung it over his waist, hoping against hope that they were not about to be discovered by a group of Sun Priests or little old ladies.

They were in luck, or as lucky as a couple can be when they are caught naked on a lakeshore. It was Thokar that appeared over the ridge, Kort on his heels. They immediately noticed Erend and Aloy sitting there, red faced, and obviously both very nude.

“Oh, uh, heh Thokar.” Erend started, trying and failing to make the situation less awkward. “We were just, uh…”

“Erend.” Thokar cut in, his tone playful. “You’re lying on a blanket in the sun, naked, with the woman of your dreams wrapped around you. There’s no need to draw us a picture, we know what you were doing.”

Aloy buried her face into Erend’s shoulder, too mortified to make eye contact with either of them.

“Heh Firefly.” Thokar added.

“Heh Thokar.” Aloy said into Erend’s shoulder, her voice thick with embarrassment. 

Kort had been trying desperately to hold back his laughter, not wanting to make the situation worse for poor Aloy. But watching his Captain squirm became too much, and he let out a loud laugh.  
“Ah, Erend, if you could see yourself…” he said as he gasped for breath.

“Oh, ha ha, dumbass.” Erend said, shooting him a withering glare. He turned his head to talk to Aloy. “Heh, don’t worry, I’m going to go grab your swim tunic for you.”

Aloy looked at him sympathetically.

“Ah, don’t worry about it. Everyone in the vanguard has seen me naked at least a hundred times, so Kort’s not going to care. And Thokar, well he’ll just have to deal with it.”

“Well, actually…” Thokar said hesitantly, “It would be a lot easier to deal with it if it were her walking around naked.”

Erend groaned, his hand dragging down his face. “Fine. Then can one of you go into my pack over there and bring us our swim clothes? They should be right on top.”

Thokar walked over and grabbed the clothes, smiling as he made is way over to the red-faced couple.

“There you go Firefly.” he said lightheartedly.

Aloy reached out and grabbed the tunic he’d handed to her, slipping it over her head. She scooted backwards on the blanket, making room for Erend to slip on his swim pants. 

“OK, well, we’ll leave you two alone then.” Erend said as he stood.

“No, Erend, that’s not necessary.” Thokar said. “Some of us came here to, you know, actually swim.” He laughed when Erend crinkled his nose, making a face at him. “Seriously, stay. Swim with us, it’ll be fun.”

“Have you two even gone into the water yet, or did you bypass that part?” Kort teased.

Erend made a gesture in Kort’s direction, one that Aloy didn’t understand but for which the intent was quite clear. Kort chuckled, shaking his head as he began to get undressed.

When Aloy noticed the men beginning to undress, she spun around and faced in the opposite direction, her cheeks flaming. She had gotten used to seeing Erend naked, but she was still timid when it came to everyone else.

“Oh, sorry Aloy.” Kort said when he looked up and saw her staring into the trees on the other side of the lake. “I wasn’t thinking, I should have checked first.”

“No, it’s ok. I’m still just a bit shy around people, that’s all.”

“Shy around people?” Thokar whispered to Kort, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Kort waved him off, mouthing the word “Later”. It was a story that couldn’t really be told in whispers while she was standing a few armlengths away.

Once everyone was dressed in their swimming clothes, the four of them headed towards the water. Aloy was the first one in, her legs swishing through the water as she went deeper and deeper. Erend stood on the edge of the water and watched her for a moment, his lips curling into a small smile. 

“Are you coming in, or are you going to stand there all day, gawking?” Kort called over his shoulder.

Erend rolled his eyes and ran into the water, tackling Kort. Both men flew forward, their giant splash soaking Aloy and Thokar. Erend’s head popped out of the water first, a hearty laugh on his lips. When Kort surfaced, sputtering and swearing, he turned and sent a wall of water splashing towards Erend. 

“You want to go to war?” Kort asked, a playful glare in his eyes.

Erend planted his feet in the muddy lakebed and smiled confidently, beckoning him with both hands. Kort lunged towards him, but Erend was ready and sent Kort flying into the water behind him. Aloy laughed as Erend shot her a cocky grin, a distraction which gave Kort just enough time to tackle Erend from behind. The look of surprise on Erend’s face, as Kort’s arms wrapped around his waist and sent them falling face first into the water, was priceless. Now it was Thokar’s turn to laugh, his heart filled with pride at the sight. He knew how tough and intimidating the Captain could be, and to see Kort take him down a peg was a moment to cherish. 

“So, are you going to let us in on this?” Aloy asked once both men had surfaced, coughing and shaking the water from their faces.

“I don’t want any part of that.” Thokar huffed. He’d seen how rough the members of the Vanguard could get when they were goofing around with one another. Kort had come home more than once with black eyes and giant bruises, waving them off as “just playing around”.

“We could play Tower War.” Kort offered.

“What’s that?” Aloy asked.

“It’s a game, where one person sits on another person’s shoulders to make a tower. Then two towers face off, with the people on top trying to push the other off. The team whose tower gets toppled loses.” Kort explained.

“So, I sit on Erend’s shoulders, and try to push Thokar off your shoulders?” she asked, making sure that she understood.

“Yah, that’s pretty much it.”

Aloy smiled. “That sounds like fun.”

Kort looked at Thokar, who nodded. 

“Excellent!” Erend exclaimed as he clapped his hands, rubbing them together eagerly. 

“Don’t worry Aloy, I won’t play too rough.” Thokar said to her, a reassuring look on his face.

“You don’t have to worry about Aloy.” Kort replied.

“Of course I do, Kort, just look at her. She’s so tiny. I don’t want to hurt her.”

“Thokar, my love, Aloy could kick all three of our asses without breaking a sweat.”

Erend laughed and nodded. “Damn right she could.”

“Little Firefly? Really?” Thokar asked incredulously.

“Yes, really. That girl can clear out an entire bandit camp by herself. She can take down a thunderjaw. BY HERSELF. Forge, she led the battle for Meridian and saved the whole world. Her body may be small, but her spirit is mighty, so you’d better not underestimate her again.”

There was little that Thokar could do to wipe the look of awe from his face. Kort had never told him about Aloy before, he knew only that she was Erend’s partner. He looked over at Erend, to see if Kort was pulling his leg, but the look of absolute pride on Erend’s face chased away all doubt. He tried to tell himself not to feel too intimidated, but whichever part of him was doing the talking, the rest of him was refusing to listen. 

They moved to a deeper part of the lake, where Erend and Kort dipped down into the water and helped Aloy and Thokar onto their shoulders. When they’d stood back up, the two thickly muscled Vanguard stood face to face, a look of playful menace on both of their faces.

“Today’s the day I finally beat you, Captain.”

Erend laughed. “We’ll see about that. You ready Aloy?”

“Ready.”

Erend moved towards Kort and felt Aloy’s weight shifting on his shoulders as she leaned forward towards Thokar. He tightened his grip on her thighs, locking her down against him, and she responded by clamping her calves against his ribs, her toes digging into his back. He knew the moment Aloy connected with her opponent, the lurch of her body forcing him to steady his feet.  
Erend and Kort circled one another as Aloy and Thokar struggled above them. All four of them were smiling and laughing as they moved through the water, pushing and shoving.

The two couples danced back and forth, Aloy’s shorter arms a disadvantage despite her superior skill. It wasn’t until Erend got right up into Kort’s face that Aloy had the leverage that she needed, and with a shove sent Thokar tumbling backwards into the water.

Both Aloy and Erend threw their arms into the air, cheering their hard-won victory. Erend turned his head and gave Aloy’s inner thigh a quick congratulatory kiss. 

“Another round?” he asked.

Kort scoffed. “You want to go again? Haven’t you spent enough time between her legs today?”

A grin split Erend’s face. “Not possible. Besides, when my head is between her legs, I’m usually facing the other way.”

Aloy gasped and smacked the top of his head, her entire face bright red.

“Sorry, sorry.” Erend said, chuckling as he squatted down and helped her slide off his shoulders. 

“Forge, you’re strong Aloy.” Thokar said, ever gracious in his defeat.

Aloy sighed. “Not as strong as I used to be. I haven’t been able to do much since my accident. It actually feels really good to be out here today, moving around again.”

The three men looked at her sympathetically. It was always tough to come back from a serious injury.

Kort’s mind began to whir. “Have the healers cleared you yet?” he asked.

“I’m still not supposed to run or jump, but otherwise yes, I was cleared just a few days ago. Why?”

“Because I was thinking, you should come train with us. Either with the junior recruits or the Vanguard, we all train every day. It would be fun to have you there. No, forget that, it would be an honour to have you there. Come train with us, Aloy, we’ll get you back into fighting form. Please?”

Aloy looked at Erend, who smiled and nodded in agreement. It was a great idea, he thought, although he was annoyed with himself that he hadn’t thought of it first. 

“Um, ok.” Aloy said softly.

“Great! I’ll tell Burk to expect you tomorrow.” Erend added, happy to see that Aloy was finally starting to find her feet again.

The foursome began to swim around, enjoying one of the last beautiful days of the season. When Erend noticed that Aloy had drifted away from the group, he slowly swam towards her. She was treading water, but he was able to touch the bottom, so he stilled as he watched her making her way towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled lovingly at him. He returned her smile, and gave her a soft kiss. 

Suddenly feeling mischievous, Erend grinned as he reached down, under the hem of her swim tunic, and brushed his hand softly against her curls. Aloy’s eyes bulged in surprise at his daring, and she quickly glanced over his shoulder at Kort and Thokar. 

“Don’t worry about them.” Erend whispered to her.

Aloy bit her lip as his fingers passed over her again, this time lingering for a moment. When he smiled at her again, his eyes twinkling, she crushed her mouth against his in a passionate kiss. 

Erend could hear Kort’s sigh behind him. “Would you two knock it off already?”

Erend slowly lifted his arm out of the water, his lips never leaving Aloy’s, and made the same gesture towards Kort that he’d made earlier.

Thokar laughed. “Ah, leave them be. There was a time when we were young and in love too.”

When they’d had their fill of swimming, they made their way to the shore. Erend straightened their blanket and laid on it, while Thokar retrieved a blanket from his pack and began to spread it out on the ground nearby.

“Careful, Thokar, don’t get our blanket too close to theirs. We know where it’s been.” Kort teased, chuckling when Erend glared at him. 

Thokar looked up and noticed Aloy, once again bright red. “Oh, poor Firefly. The members of the Vanguard always talk to each other like that. I went through the same thing when Kort and I first started spending time with one another. I blushed so much that I actually worried that I would stay that colour! But they eased off, once we’d been together for a while. I’m sure they’ll let up on Erend too. It might take a while, but they will.”

“You think so?”

“Absolutely. It’ll help, though, if you remind yourself – it’s HIM that they’re teasing, not you. They all adore you. But he’s their Captain, and it’s not often that you get to take the piss out of a guy like that, so they’re going to take advantage of every opportunity. Do your best to ignore their idiot comments, if you can.”

Aloy nodded and gave Thokar a small smile. It made her feel better to know that she wasn’t the only one who had been subjected to this kind of banter. 

They laid in the sun for a while, drying themselves, talking and joking as it warmed their skin. Thokar jumped at the chance to learn more about Aloy, marveling at her incredible accomplishments.

“I have to say, Erend, that you’ve found the world’s most amazing woman.” Thokar said.

“That I did.” Erend replied, beaming.

Kort was about to make another mindless joke at Erend’s expense, this one questioning what the world’s most amazing woman would be doing with him, but he bit his tongue at the last second. He knew his Captain well enough to know that, while he seemed confident, he had an undercurrent of self-doubt. Only Ersa could have made a joke like that, Kort realized, so it died on his lips.

As the sun’s warmth began to fade, they decided that it was time to head back to Meridian. Erend held up their blanket so that Aloy could dress behind it, then quickly dressed himself. Kort and Thokar were ready to go by the time they’d finished, and the four of them began to make their way back towards Meridian. 

As they were walking through the trees, Erend spotted a beautiful wildflower beside the path. He bent down to pluck it, then wordlessly handed it to Aloy, a small smile on his lips. Her face lit up, and she leaned up to kiss him.

Thokar smiled and lightly smacked Kort’s chest with the back of his hand. “You should be taking notes.”

“What are you talking about? I’m plenty romantic.”

“Mmmhmm. All the same, you should find out if Erend gives classes.”

Erend seized his chance to finally get back at Kort. “I do, but they’re all full. I’ll put you on the waiting list, if you want.”

Now it was Kort’s turn to pull a face, much to Aloy’s delight. Hearing her laugh lifted Kort’s spirits – he really did feel bad for embarrassing her so much.  
When they’d finally reached the city, the two couples turned to go their separate ways.

“Alright, we’ll see you tomorrow then Aloy.” Kort said as he waved. “I’ll make sure to have that muscle balm that you made for me at the ready.”

“You bet, I’ll see you there.” she replied, waving back at him before taking Erend’s hand. 

With that, Erend and Aloy walked slowly down the dusty street towards home, reacclimating themselves to the noise of the city.

______________________

Aloy made her way down towards the vanguard training grounds, butterflies in her stomach. She was so out of practice, and wondered if she was about to embarrass herself in front of everyone. All of the new vanguard recruits would be there, as would most of the members of the vanguard, and they all looked at her with such awe – was she about to make a fool of herself?

Erend saw Aloy approaching the training grounds, her posture clearly communicating her reluctance.

“Alright, listen up!” he shouted to the crowd of warriors gathered around him. “We have a guest joining us today. You all know Aloy, and you all know that she was seriously injured a little while back. She wanted to come do a bit of training with us, to get back into fighting form. Try not to humiliate yourselves, would you?” 

Erend motioned to their trainingmaster. “What do you have for us today, Burk?” he asked.

“We’re going to start with sparring. Pair off.” 

Erend went to stand beside Aloy, leaving no question as to who he would be sparring with that afternoon. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, mentally preparing himself for the fight. He looked over at her, standing quietly beside him, looking for any sign of hesitation. She seemed nervous, but otherwise alright. 

Burk called for the pairs to face each other and get into fight position. 

“Are you ready for this?” Erend asked, her nerves having spread to him. What if I hurt her, he wondered. Maybe I should take is easy on her, he thought to himself, just for today. 

“Give it your best shot, big boy.” she replied, sounding a lot more confident than she looked.

But the moment Burk shouted at them to begin, Aloy’s demeanor changed entirely. Instantly, her nerves disappeared and she became all-business. Her years of training with Rost had taught her to have complete focus during a fight, taught her that any distraction could make the difference between life and death. She approached every battle with that mindset, and it had always served her well. Today would be no different.

Erend started off slowly, trying to ease her into the sparring session. But he soon realized that he didn’t have to – she’d lost a bit of strength, but not so much that she couldn’t still put up a good fight. That, coupled with her speed, soon made him forget to take it easy on her. She was still a formidable opponent, and Erend realized that he was going to have to use all of his skill if he had any hope of standing up against her.

As Aloy blurred around him, moving so fast that Erend appeared to be standing still, the rest of the Vanguard stopped sparring and started to gather around them. Erend could hear them cheering, but kept his focus completely on her. By the forge, he thought, she’s fast. He’d seen her fight before, obviously, but to be the one facing off against her was different. She dodged every swing he took, wouldn’t stay still long enough for him to connect. All it would take is one, he told himself, one good hit would slow her down just enough for this to become a bit more of a fair fight.

But he wouldn’t get that one hit. Aloy had moved around behind him, and as Erend was turning around to face her, she swept his feet out from under him. He landed with a thud at her feet, the wind knocked out of him, and saw Aloy standing over him. She mimicked a killing strike, putting an end to the fight.

The crowd that had gathered around them cheered raucously, jumping and pumping their fists in the air. Most of them had never seen the Captain lose a fight, and what a fight it had been. Only Kort, Ando, and Roan, who had been with Aloy and Erend at the Spire, had known exactly what she was capable of.

“I told you all that metal slowed you down.” she said with a smile, offering her hand to help him up. 

Erend smiled in response and took her hand, getting to his feet. 

“I’ve never seen anyone move that fast!” he heard one of the Vanguard in the crowd saying. “Forge, if that’s how she fights after a couple of months off, imagine what she can do when she’s in top form!”

Erend, taking a moment to catch his breath, looked over that the junior recruits. They had already been intimidated by Aloy, given what they’d seen her do in The Claim. Now, all six of them appeared speechless, their eyes bugging out of their heads. He chuckled and shook his head – he knew exactly how they felt.

“Who’s next?” Erend called out, taunting the Vanguard. “Anyone else want to stand up against her?” Unsurprisingly, there were no takers.

Erend walked over to the side of the training area and stood near Roan, who was leaning against a post. They watched the members of the Vanguard congratulating Aloy, slapping her on the back and lifting her arm in victory. Erend smiled at their jubilation.

“She beat you fair and square.” Roan said.

“That she did.”

“You know, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen anyone beat you.”

“I know. And I’ve never been happier to add a name to that list.” 

“Alright, alright, enough nonsense!” Burk yelled over the cheering. He waited for the Vanguard to quiet down before continuing. “Aloy, that was quite impressive. Congratulations on kicking the Captain’s ass, I’ve been waiting a long time to see that one.” he said, which set off another round of cheering and laughter. Off on the side, Erend chuckled, nodding his head. He was trying to wipe the smile from his face, but he was finding it tough. Seeing Aloy in her element made his heart soar, even if it meant that the rest of him ended up flat on the ground.

“That’s enough sparring for today. I doubt the Captain’s ego could take another hit.” Burk continued, laughing as the crowd around him jeered. “Let’s move on to archery, in honour of today’s guest.”

The Vanguard grabbed their bows and quivers, lining up across the field from the training dummies and targets. It wasn’t until that moment, however, that Erend realized the flaw in their plan: Aloy’s bows had been broken during her fall.

“Aloy.” he said quietly as he came up behind her, putting his hand on her back. “You haven’t replaced your bows yet, have you?”

“No, I haven’t.” she whispered, feeling sheepish. She’d had plenty of time, but it just hadn’t seemed like a priority until now.

“Why don’t you use one of ours for today.” he offered, pointing to a rack full of well-worn bows.

Aloy nodded and walked over to the rack. She looked over the bows, which seemed to be of a high enough quality, but nothing like what she was used to. But they had been well taken care of, and would do for today. 

“What’s the draw weight on these?” she asked.

“Oh, uh, it’s pretty high actually. I think that mine is 130 pounds, but these training ones are probably somewhere around 80 or 90 pounds. Draw length might be an issue, too, now that I think about it.” He paused, hesitating. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.”

“No, I’ll be fine.” Aloy reassured him, choosing one of the bows and testing it. It had a different feel than what she was used to, and her weakened muscles struggled to pull it taut, but she eventually managed. “See?”

Erend smiled encouragingly and nodded. “Yah, you got this.”

Aloy joined the rest of the Vanguard on the line, Erend coming to stand beside her. When Burk gave the word, she began firing.

Erend watched her out of the corner of his eye, struggling with the unfamiliar bow. She grew more and more frustrated as her shots failed to hit the centre of the target, her arms beginning to shake from the strain as she pulled on the bowstring. Her shots were not all that far off centre, in Erend’s judgement, but Aloy was obviously used to perfection.

By the time Burk finally called an end to the training session, Aloy’s mood had grown very sour. She stomped over to the rack to return the borrowed bow. She hesitated for a moment, then turned and headed towards the forest beyond the training field.

“Aloy!” Erend called out after her, running to catch up. “Are you alright? Where are you going?”

“I’m fine, Erend.” she barked, her frustration clear in her voice. “I just need to take a walk, that’s all.” She looked over at Erend as he nodded, his eyes downcast and his shoulders slumped. She gave a loud sigh, then took his hand. “Really, Erend, I’m ok.” she said softly. “It’s just that this is a little harder than I was expecting. I didn’t think I’d lost that much ground.”

“I understand.” Erend replied, giving her hand a squeeze. “I think that you’re being too hard on yourself, but I know how hard you push yourself, how much you expect. Go, go for a long walk. Sit and have a think. I’ll have supper ready for you when you get home.” 

Aloy looked up at his sad eyes and gave him a small smile. “Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Aloy slowly slid her hand from his as she began to make her way towards the trees. Erend had a moment’s worry at the thought of her heading off with only her spear, but he reassured himself that she’d be alright. He was getting better at not letting his anxieties get the better of him. 

As he watched her walking away, an idea began to form in Erend’s head. He turned the thought over in his mind, unsure whether it was a good idea or not. As he walked back towards the city, surrounded by chatting vanguards, he smiled. Fortune favours the bold, he finally told himself.

When Aloy came home later that evening, the apartment was filled with the most delicious aromas. Erend had gone all out on their meal that night, hoping to brighten her mood.

“So?” he asked, emerging from the kitchen when he heard her walking in. “Did the walk help?”

Aloy smiled. “Yah, it did. I thought a lot about what you said, and you’re right. I’m being too hard on myself, expecting too much on my first day back. I have a lot of work to do to get my strength back, but I’m not afraid of a little hard work.”

Erend walked over to her and hugged her, kissing her forehead. “Good. Supper’s almost ready, why don’t you go get cleaned up.”

He was thankful that Aloy’s back was to him as she climbed the stairs to the bedroom, because he wouldn’t have been able to hide his enormous smile. Excitement coursed through his veins, along with a fair bit of nervousness. It was only moments before he heard the shriek coming from their bedroom, and the crashing of Aloy running towards the stairs.

“Erend!” she exclaimed the moment he’d come into view. “What….when….why…” she stuttered, unable to find her words.

“Do you like them?” he asked, smiling.

Aloy flew down the stairs and launched herself into his arms, almost choking him as she hugged him tightly. When she finally pulled away, she peppered kisses all over his face.

“So, is that a yes?” he asked, chuckling. 

“Yes, yes it’s a yes.” she replied. “But Erend, you didn’t have to do that. Why did you do that?”

Erend looked into her eyes as she stilled, and he saw the light dancing in them. That’s why, he told himself. That look of happiness is why he did anything. “Because you needed new bows.”

“Well, I know. But three?”

“Well, I was in the market, and I couldn’t decide which kind I liked better, so I just figured I’d get one of each.”

“But Erend, those must have cost you a fortune. The shadow sharpshot bow alone…”

“Don’t worry about it.” he said, cutting her off. “I got the special Captain of the Vanguard rate.” In truth, the bows had put a pretty significant dent in his savings, but he didn’t mind. Now that he was spending a lot less time at the tavern, he rarely spent much anymore. Besides, what was the use of having shards if you couldn’t spend them on the woman you loved? The smile on her face made it more than worth it.

Erend slowly lowered Aloy to the floor, releasing her from his tight embrace. She cupped his face and kissed him deeply, a smile still on her lips. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen, drawn by the smell of the delicious meal that awaited them.

The next day, Aloy’s training went much smoother. She had brought her new Shadow Hunter Bow with her, and the familiarity of the weapon made everything easier. She was hitting the centre of the target after only a few test shots, beaming as each arrow found its mark. Erend, too, was beaming as he watched her make bullseye after bullseye. 

But Erend wasn’t the only one who was watching. Once Aloy had emptied her quiver, Burk walked over to her, clapping. 

“That was some impressive marksmanship, Aloy.” he said. 

“Oh, uh, thank you.” she said, a blush rising to her cheeks. When was she ever going to get used to people noticing her, she wondered.

“I don’t doubt that you could teach me a thing or two!” he added, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. “In all my many years of fighting, I never believed that I was the best, or that I knew everything that there was to know. But I never expected to have that lesson reinforced by someone so young. You truly are remarkable, Aloy.”

“Ah, she’s just warming up.” Erend said, a proud smile on his lips. “You haven’t seen the half of what she can do.” He looked over at Aloy, whose face was bright red as she shifted back and forth, obviously uncomfortable with all the attention. Better change the subject, he thought. “But she’s still just coming back from her injuries, so we’re taking things slow. Right?”

Aloy nodded. “Right. But I think that I should maybe do my training alone, rather than with the Vanguard. I’d hate to embarrass you again, at least in public.” she added with a sly smile.

Erend gripped his chest, her words a fatal stab to the heart, as Aloy and Burk laughed. Burk gave Erend a firm clap on the back before he turned to resume his duties, still chuckling. 

“That’s not a bad idea, you know.” Erend said, recovering quickly from his mortal wound.

“What is?”

“To train alone. Just you and me, here in the evenings, no audience. You’d probably like that better.”

“I’d like that better, or you would?” she teased.

“Does it have to be one or the other?” he asked playfully. “Seriously, though, think about it.”

“But if we did that, then your days would be even longer than they already are. Won’t you be too tired?”

“Ah, not really. It’ll be good for me. Being Captain is making me soft, always watching and planning instead of acting. You’d be doing my a favour. Plus, I could really learn a lot, maybe enough to give a Nora warmaiden like you more trouble than she can handle.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” 

Erend winced. “Ouch! Well, I guess I deserved that.” 

He bent down and gave her a quick kiss before taking her hand. The two of them walked back to Meridian, in no particular rush. 

_________________

****Warning: The following scene contains descriptions of domestic violence. If you’d prefer not to read, skip to the next set of ****

 

The next day, during the Vanguard’s afternoon training session, Burk pulled Erend aside. “Captain, I wanted to let you know that the junior recruits are nearly at the end of the training that we had planned for them. I was hoping that you and I could sit down sometime soon, so that I could share my thoughts about their progress, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each one.”

“Absolutely. I have time tomorrow morning, after my briefings. Come find me in the Vanguard hall.”

Burk gave a silent nod, then left Erend to his training. 

As Erend swung his massive hammer, slowly destroying the metal dummy in front of him, he thought about the recruits. They’d come a long way since Longlake, and he was again thankful to Aloy for her suggestion to bring them all to Meridian. Each one of them had become a strong and skilled warrior, and any one of them could easily fit within the ranks of the Vanguard. They were well liked by everyone, and eager to make a good impression. But the time had come to make a final decision, and no one else could make it for him. 

As soon as the Vanguard had wrapped up their training for the day, Erend headed to the palace to track down Blameless Marad.

“Erend! What can I do for you this afternoon?” Marad asked.

“I wanted to talk to you about the junior recruits. When I got back from The Claim, you told me that you’d sent word out to your network of informants, looking for information about the six of them. I was wondering if they’d dug up anything.”

“No, nothing.” Marad replied, but frowned when he saw Erend’s relief. “But in some cases, nothing can be a problem. For five of them, my informants turned up nothing out of the ordinary. But for one of the recruits, they turned up nothing. As in, no information. We don’t know where he came from, where he trained, or who his family is. It’s as if he didn’t exist before he showed up in Longlake. That’s not good, Erend.”

“Who?”

“Zef.” 

Erend cursed, pursing his lips. He really liked Zef, and he was also an excellent fighter. If he had to dismiss him over something like this, it would be a real loss to the Vanguard.

“I’ll get to the bottom of it.” Erend said determinedly. 

As he walked away, Erend turned this new information over in his mind. A person couldn’t simply appear out of nowhere. But an Oseram without any ties to a clan? It was unheard of. Could it be that he wasn’t actually Oseram? He sure seemed Oseram, but what other explanation was there? Was he really pretending to be someone that he wasn’t? 

When he reached the end of the bridge and entered Meridian proper, he hesitated. Should he confront Zef right away, or would it be better to give his approach a little more thought? He stood at the junction of two streets, trying to make up his mind. 

“Just get it over with.” he finally told himself as he turned and stomped towards the barracks where the recruits were staying. 

The six recruits looked up in surprise when their Captain walked in, the visit unprecedented and unexpected. 

“Captain! Is something wrong?” Lalia asked, unsure why the Captain would be visiting them after hours.

“No, Lalia, everything’s alright. I just needed to talk to Zef for a minute.” Erend said before turning to look at the young man. “Come with me.” he ordered as he turned and walked out the door.

Zef scuttled after him, a look of pure terror on his face. 

“What’s that about?” Nomi asked him as he walked past.

“I don’t know.” Zef answered nervously. And in truth he wasn’t sure, but he was hoping against hope that it wasn’t about what he suspected it might be about. Had his secret been discovered? 

Erend walked at a brisk pace towards the Vanguard hall, never once turning around to ensure that Zef was following him. When he arrived at the hall, he walked in and made his way to his table at the front of the room, sitting down in his chair. As he leaned back, he watched Zef walk in and quietly close the door. The nervous young man shifted back and forth, his hands fiddling with the hem of his tunic.

“Do you know why I’ve asked you here?” Erend started.

“No sir.” Zef managed to squeak out.

“You look awfully nervous. Are you sure you don’t know why?”

“Sir, no sir. Since the day we arrived in Meridian, I have done my best to be a model recruit. I’ve trained hard, and I haven’t caused any trouble.”

“I know that Zef. But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“It’s not?” Zef asked hesitantly, his voice shaking.

“Tell me something. Would you trust a stranger to guard your most prized possession, to keep it safe?”

“Sir, no sir.”

“No, that would be unwise. Just as it would be unwise for me to entrust the life of a king, a life that I’m responsible for, to a stranger.”

Zef’s heart was pounding in his chest. Fire and spit, it was as he had feared. He’d been discovered.

Erend watched Zef’s every fidgety move like a glinthawk. The poor boy was shaking as much now as he was the day he’d faced the behemoth in Longlake. It was obvious that he was hiding something, and Erend couldn’t rest until he knew what it was.

“Do you trust me, Zef?” Erend asked gently.

“Absolutely, sir, without question.”

“Alright. Then can you tell me why the Sundom’s best informants couldn’t find a single piece of background information about you?”

Zef let out a long, weary sigh. His curse had followed him all the way to Meridian. He could only hope that it wouldn’t end his chances with the Vanguard. “It’s a long story, sir.”

“I’ve got time.”

Zef walked towards the front of the room, trying to screw up his courage, and took a seat close to Erend. He took a deep breath, then looked up at his Captain.  
“Where do I start?”

“I’ve found that the beginning is usually a pretty good place.”

Zef nodded, his eyes looking down to the floor. “Ok, well. When I was small, it was just my mother, my father, and I. My father was a horrible, vicious man. He was a violent drunk, so much so that his clan wanted nothing to do with him. But that also meant that they could have nothing to do with me or my mother, because any time we tried to get away from him, he’d come track us down and drag us back. So we were pretty much alone, the three of us, and he spent most of his time drinking and beating us. 

I was in my ninth summer the day he killed her. He had gotten more drunk than usual, and he had started beating me because I had let some water slosh out of the pail I was carrying. My mother got between us, and that made him even madder. He wouldn’t stop. I tried to pull him off of her, but he was so much bigger than me. He threw me off, and I hit the wall. I hit so hard that I blacked out. When I came to, she was on the floor, covered in blood. I can still see her lifeless eyes staring at me. 

When he sobered up enough to realize what he’d done, my father ran off. He just left me there, alone. I thought at first that he had just gone for a walk or something, but he never came back. So there I was, in my ninth summer, by myself. I didn’t know my clan, so I couldn’t go to them. I hadn’t really ever known anyone outside my family, so I was alone. I did my best, took care of myself. I made my way, but it was rough. I got through it by telling myself that, when I grew up, I would to be someone who protects others. So I watched as many fighters as I could, learning what I could from them. I practiced all the time, and eventually I got stronger. I was finally ready to try to join the freebooters when I heard about the Vanguard trials. 

So, that’s why no one has ever heard of me. I have no clan markings because I have no clan. I have no family, no formal training, nothing. All I have is the desire to do better, to BE better, and to help others. That’s why I’m here, Captain.”

Erend sat, stonefaced, as he looked at Zef. The look in the young man’s eyes told him that the story was true – a story so similar to his own that it hurt. Erend rarely thought of himself as lucky, but in that moment, he knew that he had been. 

“Thank you for telling me, Zef, that couldn’t have been easy.”

“You deserved to know, Captain. I just hope that I can still be considered for the Vanguard.”

“None of what happened to you was your fault, but you did keep it from me. I’ll think about it, but I can’t make any promises.”

“I understand Captain.” Zef said dejectedly. “Is that all sir?”

“Yes. Dismissed.”

 

****

 

As soon as the door had closed behind Zef, Erend let out a long, slow breath. Wow, he hadn’t been expecting that. But now that he had this information, what to do with it? It didn’t outright disqualify Zef from consideration, but was it enough to cast doubt on him? He had hidden it so well. Erend shook his head – in his mind, he of all people should have been able to spot it. What else was the boy hiding?

He sat for a few minutes more, turning his jumbled thoughts over in his head. He couldn’t blame the boy for keeping his history a secret – only one person in the Vanguard knew his own story, after all. But as Captain, he needed to be able to trust his soldiers completely. He sighed. An already difficult choice had just become that much harder to make.

____________

 

As he approached the training grounds at the end of his shift, Erend could see that Aloy was already there, training. How long had she been there, he wondered. He hoped that it hadn’t been too long, because after the day he’d had, he could use a good sweat.

“Heh!” Aloy called out to him when she noticed him approaching. “Just in time. I was ready to take a break from archery for a while.”

“Perfect.” Erend said, a hint of fatigue in his voice. 

“Long day?” she asked, her voice soft.

“You have no idea.”

“So, what are you in the mood for tonight?” Aloy asked, then rolled her eyes when Erend smiled and cocked an eyebrow at her. “You know what I mean.”

“Honestly, I don’t really care. You can choose the method of tonight’s ass kicking.”

“I was thinking that we might try something different, something where you might actually have a chance at winning.”

“Oh-ho! What’s that?”

“Grappling. I haven’t done a lot of that, and given the size difference between us, you definitely have the advantage.”

“Something physical, exactly what I need. With or without armour?”

“Let’s try it without, see how it goes.”

Erend and Aloy walked to the side of the training grounds and began the long process of removing their armour. Piece after piece fell to the wayside as they peeled away their protective layers.  
Armour discarded, they moved to an area of the training ground that was covered in soft grass. It would make a mess of their clothes the minute the fight went to the ground, but at least it would be a little easier on their skin and eyes. 

Erend swung his arms around and stretched out his shoulders as he turned his mind to the fight. He switched off everything else, all of the worries and thoughts of the day, and focused only on what was immediately in front of him. He took a few deep breaths as he turned to face Aloy and sunk into a fight position.

“What, no smartass comment this time? You nervous?” he asked as a grin crawled across his face.

Aloy smiled and gave her head a little shake. “Hardly. How about I just go with the one that I used last time I kicked your ass?” she said, laughing. “Come on, big boy, give me your best shot. Show me what you can do without all that metal slowing you down.”

Erend’s focus waivered, ever so slightly, at the sight of Aloy’s coy smile. He took a deep breath and did his best to ignore the little fire that had been lit inside him. Now was not the time for that, he told himself.

“Ready when you are.” she said, taunting him. “Let’s get this party start….”

The words had barely escaped her mouth when he lunged, catching her a little by surprise. He grabbed her and they began to wrestle, fighting for control of the advantage. She had been right, they were much more evenly matched in this style of fighting. She had her speed, but he had his bulk. Since neither gave one a clear advantage over the other, they were each left only with their skill, and he had a lot more experience in hand-to-hand combat than she did.

That wasn’t to say that the fight was one-sided, not by any means. Back and forth they went, Aloy slipping from his grip, only to be frustrated by her inability to pin him. Before long, both were glistening with sweat, the sounds of their fight echoing through the dim evening moonlight.

“Oh, come ON!” Aloy shouted, grunting as she tried, again, and failed, again, to pin him to the ground. 

Erend laughed as he rolled out of her grip. “Just give up already, you’re never going to win.” 

She dodged his attempt to grab her. “When have you ever known me to give up?” 

“Well you’d better start, otherwise we’re going to be here all night.”

He looked at her as he panted, a drop of sweat trickling down the side of his face. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was breathing heavily, her skin glistening. She was smiling at him, challenging him to come at her again. He lunged, and she darted away, but this time he was able to anticipate the move. His arm shot out and caught her around the waist, pulling her towards him. They tumbled to the ground, Erend landing nearly on top of her.

He grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the ground above her head, ending the fight. 

“Ha! Finally! I win.” he said triumphantly, a proud smile on his lips.

“It was bound to happen eventually.” Aloy replied with a smirk.

“Won’t even let me have one, will you?” 

Aloy shook her head, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing.

Erend look down at her, her teeth digging into her lip, then looked at her hands, still trapped under his. A single image ran through his mind. We’ve been here before, he said to himself, as the fire within him reignited. 

He swooped down, crashing his mouth into hers. He’d surprised her, but she quickly returned the passionate kiss, her tongue dancing against his. As he deepened his kiss, he shifted, covering her body with his. His hand left her wrist and slid slowly along her arm, making its way down to her waist before gliding up to her breast. He could feel Aloy’s fingers underneath his tunic, digging into his back as he pushed himself against her. 

“I think that it’s time to go home.” Aloy breathed between kisses.

“Mmmhmm.” was the only reply that he could come up with, his mouth occupied with more important matters.

They fumbled to a standing position, neither wanting their lips to leave the other’s, then began to stumble towards the elevators.

“Our armour.” Aloy said as they reached the edge of the field, suddenly remembering.

Erend’s little brain tried to convince him that he could just leave his armour where it was, that it would be fine until morning. His big brain knew that it wasn’t true, but its argument was much less compelling.

“Slag!” he cursed. He looked over Aloy’s shoulder, at the large pile of armour, along with Aloy’s new bows, her spear, and his hammer. He cursed again – there was no getting away from it, they couldn’t leave their things behind.

Or could they? Erend spied the small building at the edge of the field, the one where Burk kept all of his training supplies. It would be full of dummies and training weapons and such, but there might be enough room for their things, at least temporarily. 

“There.” he said, pointing to the building. “We can put them in there for now.”

“Won’t it be locked?”

“Yah, but when I told Burk that we’d be training here in the evening, he gave me a key, in case we needed anything out of there.”

Aloy’s eyes lit up, and they hurried towards the pile they’d left on the side of the field. Gathering armfuls of metal and leather, they quickly threw everything into Burk’s neatly organized shed. They’d made a mess of it, but Erend wasn’t worried – he’d be back before Burk ever saw it.

The last of their things safely stowed away, Erend locked the sturdy door. “Now, where were we?” he asked slyly as his hands found her hips, his lips returning to hers. 

___________________

As he walked towards the Vanguard hall, Erend was already dreading his morning. He’d spent the last few days pondering his decision, trying to make up his mind which recruits to cut. He’d spoken with Burk, as well as with Avad and Aloy, but when it came right down to it the decision was his. The responsibility was his alone. It was the weight of this responsibility that was weighing on him – if he chose the wrong people, it could mean the life of one of his Vanguard. Just as the guilt over losing Vanguard members in the battle for Meridian ate at him for months, so too did the decision to fill the spots they’d vacated. He hadn’t slept well in days, instead spending his nights turning thoughts over in his mind. But he’d finally settled on a course of action, one that he felt that he could live with. It was time to announce the newest members of the Vanguard.

Erend had asked the six recruits to meet him at the Vanguard hall before his morning briefing with Avad. He wanted to speak to each of them privately, rather than spring the news on them in front of everyone. Considering how much time and effort each of them had put in to their training, he felt that he owed them at least that much.

When he walked in to the hall, the recruits were already there. Each one of them looked nervous and fidgety, and he could understand why.

“I’ve asked you all here this morning” Erend started “because the time has come to announce the final selection for the Vanguard. As you all know, there are only four spots available, and as much as I wish that I didn’t have to make any cuts, they must be made. I know that you’ve all trained incredibly hard for this, and I thank you for it.”

He paused and looked around the room, surveying the recruits. “I thought that it would be best to speak to each of you privately, to give you the news of my decision. Once that’s done, I’ll make the announcement at this morning’s Vanguard briefing.”

The nervous shifting and twitching among the recruits intensified. “So, is there anyone who would like to volunteer to go first?” their Captain asked.

“Sir, if it’s alright with the others I’d like to go first.” Lalia offered.

“Alright. The rest of you can wait outside.” Erend said, gesturing towards the door as he took his place at the front of the room.

Once the door had closed behind her comrades, Lalia came forward to receive the news she’d waited so long to hear.

Erend cleared his throat. “Lalia.” he said, unsure where to start. Just yank out the knife, he told himself. It’ll be easier than drawing out the misery. “I’m afraid that you didn’t make the cut.” 

He let out a loud sigh and looked at her with serious eyes. “You are a very skilled archer, better than any of the other candidates. But the Vanguard are at the front of the line, and your hand to hand combat skills just aren’t as strong. You would be excellent in a position like sniper or overwatch, but the Vanguard doesn’t need those skills right now. The city, on the other hand…”

“Actually, Captain, if I may interrupt…” Lalia interjected, much to Erend’s surprise. “I…. I’m not interested in a position with the Meridian city watch.”

“You’re not? The featherheads aren’t all that bad…” Erend said, but trailed off when he noticed Lalia shaking her head. 

“It’s not that. Sir, I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but my time in Meridian has shown me that this isn’t really the place for me. If I had been selected for the Vanguard, I would have obviously done my very best, done my duty, for as long as I was needed. But I miss The Claim, sir. I miss home.”

Erend smiled wistfully. “It took me a very long time to get used to life among the Carja. The heat, the food, the way they talk, all of it. Some days, I’m still not sure that I really fit in here.” 

“So, you understand?” she asked hopefully.

“Yah, I do. I’ll tell you what. If you’d like, I can send a scroll to some of my freebooter friends. They’re always on the lookout for someone with your skills.”

“Thank you, Captain. I would really appreciate that.”

Erend stood and came around the table to shake her hand. “Good luck Lalia.”

“Thank you Captain.”

“Send in the next one, would you?”

And so it went, with each of the recruits learning their fate. Antro actually jumped when he learned that he’d been selected. Nomi let out a loud squeak, and immediately turned bright red as she quickly apologized, but she couldn’t do much to hide her excitement. Kellen beamed at the news, and was obviously restraining himself from hugging his Captain. 

Zef was the next recruit to walk into the hall. Erend could see him shaking, his whole body a jumble of nerves. He looked very frightened, and a little ill.

“Breathe Zef.” Erend started. 

“Sir, I’m trying to sir.”

Erend smiled. “You made the cut.”

A look of incredulity slid its way onto Zef’s face. “What? I did?”

“Yah, you did.”

Erend looked at Zef across the table, the young man’s mouth hanging open and a look of absolute shock in his eyes.

“But Zef, there’s one thing.”

“Sir, anything sir.”

“I expect total honesty from you going forward. I need to know that I can trust you. Do you understand?”

“Yes Captain.”

“Good. Send Bren in, would you?”

Finally, the last recruit made his way to the front of the hall. His eyes were downcast, and it was clear that he had seen the reactions from the other recruits as they left the hall. He’d done the math.

“I’m sorry Bren.” Erend said as he let out a loud sigh. “You’ll be an excellent fighter, one day. You show a lot of promise, but you’re just not quite there yet. Keep training, and in a few years you’ll be at the top of the list.”

“But not yet.”

“No, not yet. But you’re already better than most of the other Vanguard were at your age, so don’t give up.”

Bren smiled. “Better than everyone except you, right?”

Erend laughed. “That’s right. But let’s keep that between us, ok?”

“You bet. Thank you Captain.”

Bren turned and began to leave the hall. 

“I expect to see you at the next Vanguard recruitment.” Erend called out after him.

Bren stopped and turned back towards him. “I’ll be there. Aloy can bring all the Behemoths she wants, I’ll be ready for them.”

Erend chuckled and nodded. “I’ll let her know.”

The moment the door closed behind Bren, Erend let out a long breath and sat back in his chair, lacing his fingers together on top of his head. It had gone well, better than expected, and he was proud of the way Lalia and Bren had handled their disappointing news. All that was left was to tell the rest of the Vanguard.

____________________

 

Erend could already hear the noise of the party as he approached the training grounds. A huge bonfire had been lit in the centre of the field, and a table filled to capacity with brew barrels was off to one side. Erend smiled. It was going to be a good night.

“CAPTAIN!” he heard several Vanguard cheer when they noticed his approach. It was clear that they’d started the party without him, and were already several brews deep.

“Where’s Aloy?” Roan asked as Erend walked over to the brew table and began to fill a mug.

“She stayed home tonight. Said that it was important for me to, how did she put it? Forge bonds with the new members.”

“Huh. And here I was beginning to think that the two of you were tied together somehow.”

“Nope. Not tonight, anyway.” 

Erend took a long pull from his mug. “One more thing.” he said, smiling at Roan.

“What’s that?”

“She wants me to have fun tonight.”

Roan smiled. “My man! If I’d known that, we’d have brought more brew!” he said, laughing as he slapped Erend on the back.

Erend smiled into his mug as he took another long pull. What Aloy had actually said before she ushered him out the door was that he’d promised Ersa he’d grow up, not that he’d never have fun again. But he’d never told anyone about his promise to Ersa, and he didn’t particularly feel like sharing it tonight.

Erend circulated among the Vanguard, laughing and joking with his fellow Oseram. The brew was flowing freely, and the party was getting louder and louder as they all got drunker and drunker.

“Captain!” Erend heard Senoa yelling out across the crowd. “Kellen here figures that he can beat me in a contest of strength. Can you believe that?”

“Careful Kellen, she’s tougher than she looks!” Erend replied as a grin spread across his face. 

“Maybe, but I could still take her.” Kellen boasted, smacking his chest with his fist.

“Prove it!”

A loud cheer went up from the Vanguard as Senoa and Kellen faced off. Senoa knelt beside a large brew barrel, planting her elbow on top of it and offering her hand to Kellen. Kellen knelt and squared himself against her, taking her hand in his.

She sneered at him, a dangerous look in her eyes. “Just remember kid, in the Vanguard there’s no shame in being beaten by a woman.”

“You haven’t won yet.” Kellen said.

“Yet.” was Senoa’s only reply.

As soon as they began to arm wrestle, Kellen knew that he was in trouble. He struggled against Senoa, but her arm wouldn’t budge. Instead, he watched as his own arm slowly descended towards the barrel, and as much as he tried he couldn’t stop it. 

Another cheer rose up from the crowd the moment Kellen’s hand slammed into the wood. Senoa jumped to her feet, her arms raised in victory. With a giant smile, she offered a hand to Kellen and helped him to his feet.

“Looks like I bit off more than I could chew.” Kellen said sheepishly.

“Don’t worry about it, kid. You’re not the first. You probably won’t be the last.”

As the commotion from the competition died down, the conversations started flowing again. Erend wandered over to a small group standing at the side of the field, who were arguing over something that seemed to be very important.

“I’m telling you, smoked salmon is better than smoked boar.” Antro said forcefully.

“Slag off, kid, boar’s better.” Griff replied emphatically.

“Ugh, would you both quit? We all know that smoked turkey is the best.” Kort said, jumping in to the fray. 

“Captain.” Antro said, noticing Erend’s arrival among the group “Help us out here. What’s your favourite thing to eat?”

Kort scrunched up his face at the question, shaking his head. “Don’t say Aloy. Please don’t say Aloy.” he muttered.

A coy smile slowly slid across Erend’s face as he looked over at Kort, who groaned and smacked the side of his fist against his forehead.

Erend shrugged his shoulders. “Heh, you said it, not me.”

Griff, who had been laughing at the exchange between Kort and Erend, looked over at Antro, who looked horrified. “Get used to it, kid. You’re going to hear a lot more than that before the night is over.”

“Hear more of what?” Reemo asked as he saddled up to the group.

“We were just talking about the Captain and Aloy.” Griff replied.

“Ah-ha! Now we’re getting to the good stuff!” Reemo exclaimed.

“No, we’re not.” Erend said. “We’re not getting to anything.”

“So, we’re not going to talk about how the two of you snuck out of Avad’s Winskill party?” Ando asked, joining the group. “You know, I don’t think that I saw you come back, now that I think about it.”

“And we’re definitely not going to talk about Thokar and I catching you two down by the lake.” Kort said, seizing the opportunity.

“Wait. What?” Ando asked.

“Yah. We went swimming the day after Winskill, and we found Erend and Aloy on the lakeshore. Their swimming clothes were not exactly nearby.”

“Arg, come on.” Erend said, his cheeks aflame as his friends shared a hearty laugh at his expense. “Knock it off before I have to kick your ass.”

“Yah, alright. So then I won’t tell them that…” Kort started. But before he could finish his thought, he had to duck to avoid the swing that Erend sent his way. It was an easy swing, not even hard enough to spill a drop of Erend’s brew from the mug in his other hand, but it would have hurt all the same if it had connected. Kort held up his hands in surrender, taking a step back. “Ok, ok, knocking it off…”

“You’re one to talk, Kort.” Ando said. “I seem to remember catching you and Thokar in a private moment behind the tavern.”

“Oh-ho! I never heard about this!” Griff exclaimed. 

“There’s not much to tell. It was pretty dark, but I did see a lot of scrambling and hear a lot of swearing. Kort came back in to the tavern with his tunic on inside out, though.”

The group howled with laughter, and this time it was Kort’s face that turned a deep crimson. “I’d hoped that you’d forgotten about that.” he mumbled.

“Kort, my friend, I will never, ever forget that.”

“So, is there anyone in the Vanguard who hasn’t been caught in an embarrassing situation?” Antro asked, still horrified.

“Roan, I think, but that’s mostly because he’s so old.” Reemo said, chuckling. “Give it time kid, your turn will come.”

“Heh!” they heard Sorsha calling from the other side of the field. “Anyone up for a game of rugger?”

The Vanguard loved nothing more than a drunken game of rugger. The game, a favourite among the Oseram, was a rough and tumble game that often left them bruised and bloodied. They split up into two teams and faced off, throwing insults across the field as they prepared to fight for the ball that Erend had dug out of the training shed. 

“Just be careful that you don’t end up in the bonfire!” Erend called out to the group as they were about to begin. “I don’t want to have to start recruiting all over again just because you’re a bunch of idiots!”

“Yes, Captain.” Reemo said in a mocking, sing-songy voice.

“Right. You’re the first one I’m taking down.” Erend growled at Reemo, eyeing him menacingly.

As the game began, Reemo quickly regretted his earlier joke. Erend slammed into him, tackling him to the ground so hard that it knocked the breath out of him. Erend immediately jumped to his feet, but Reemo stayed on the ground, his head still spinning.

“You good?” Erend asked him bruskly.

“Yah.” Reemo managed to squeak out, then turned onto his side and watched Erend run off to rejoin the game further down the field. “Slag, when will I remember to keep my mouth shut?” he asked no one in particular. He was still a bit shaky as he stood, and gave himself a moment to get his head on straight before jogging to catch up.

By the time the game had ended, several of the Vanguard had fat lips or bloodied noses, and all of them had at least one sore spot that was sure to turn into an impressive bruise. As the winning team celebrated with a fresh round of brews, the losing team began to drown their sorrows in their own mugs. They gathered around the bonfire, where the cheering soon turned into singing. 

“You know, if I close my eyes I could almost believe that we’re back in The Claim.” Senoa said wistfully as she came to stand beside Erend. “A bunch of drunken lunkheads, who have no business singing, singing at the top of their lungs around a fire.”

Erend huffed and smiled. “Yah.” he said, pausing for a moment before continuing. “Do you miss it?” he asked, thinking of Lalia.

“Sometimes. It can be tough here. I don’t have much in common with the Carja women, so I don’t have many friends outside of the Vanguard.”

“I know what you mean. It gets pretty old, having people look at you like you’re just as likely to beat them to death as you are to say hello.”

“Exactly. But I’ve gotten used to being here. I like the hustle and bustle, most of the time.”

“I guess so.”

“Heh, speaking of making a life in Meridian, I was going to ask you how Aloy’s training is coming along.”

“Good. Really good, actually. It’s going a lot faster than I had expected. She’s already started hunting again.”

“That’s not surprising. Has she started climbing yet?”

Erend’s face dropped. “No, not yet.”

Senoa looked at the expression on her Captain’s face, fear written plainly in his features. “Captain, you know that she’s going to climb again.”

“Yah, I know.”

“What happened was an accident.”

“I know that too. Doesn’t mean that I’m not going to worry about it.”

“You can worry, as long as you don’t go overboard. She won’t be happy with you if you get too crazy about it.”

Erend let out a heavy sigh and nodded his head slowly. “Yah.”

Erend and Senoa both tipped their mugs back, draining them. 

“Time for another round?” Senoa asked, holding up her mug and shaking it.

“Absolutely.” 

A crowd had gathered around the brew table, parting to allow Erend and Senoa to fill their mugs. 

“There’s no way!” Erend heard Nomi say as he bent to fill his mug. “It’s just not possible!”

He sighed and turned around, his mug still empty. “What are you dumbasses up to now?”

“Arnt says that he can catch fire in his hand and eat it.” 

“Is that so?” Erend asked, cocking his eyebrow at a very drunken Arnt. 

“Yup. Here, hold my brew, I’ll show you.” Arnt slurred, shoving his mug into Erend’s hand.

“Arnt. Come on, you’re going to kill yourself.” Senoa warned.

“No I won’t. Watch.” he said as he began to make his way towards the bonfire.

Arnt stoped when he reached the bonfire, turning to the members of the Vanguard that had gathered around him. With a cocky smile, he waved his hand through the flames. Everyone gasped when he withdrew his hand, and a small ball of fire stayed in it. Arnt brought the fireball to his mouth, and with a snap of his wrist popped it into his mouth. His cocky smile grew even wider as he exhaled through his nose, blowing plumes of smoke from his nostrils. 

A deafening roar went up from the crowd as Arnt threw his hands into the air. The Vanguard cheered and thumped one another on the back. Arnt walked over to where Ando stood and they jumped at one another, crashing their chests together. Arnt made his way over to Erend, who was smiling broadly.

“Told you.” Arnt said, taking his mug from his Captain and taking a big swig from it.

The members of the Vanguard spent the next few hours chatting, boasting, teasing, and joking. Barrel after barrel of brew was drained, and as the night wore on Erend found himself very, very drunk. As he stumbled over to the table to refill his mug once more, he bumped into Roan, who was trying to fill his own mug.

“Looks like we’re out of brew.” Roan grumbled, shaking the empty barrel.

“That’s ok. I think it’s about time to be heading home anyway.” Erend slurred. “It’s really late.”

Erend bid goodnight to his Vanguard and began to stagger home. He wove his way through the city, stopping to grab onto a wall whenever the world began to spin too much. Thankfully, the streets were completely empty, given the late hour. When he finally reached his front door, he did his best to sneak quietly into the apartment. Aloy had been so insistent that he go, that he let loose and have fun, that the last thing he wanted to do was make a ruckus and wake her. But in his drunken state, he didn’t realize how noisy he was.

“Sorry!” he whispered loudly as he bumped into a piece of furniture in the sitting room. A little table rocked back and forth, threatening to tip over. “SHHHH!” he warned the table as he tried to steady it, in what he thought was a soft voice. “You’ll wake Aloy!” 

Upstairs, Aloy – now quite awake – tried not to giggle. She was just glad that he was home safely. She listened as he fumbled with his heavy boots, thunking them onto the floor, then slowly made his way up the stairs.

Erend peeled off his clothes, tossing them carelessly onto the floor, then crashed onto the bed beside Aloy. He mumbled something resembling a good night as he snuggled up behind her.

“Did you have fun?” she asked as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Mmmmmhmmm.” he said, already halfway asleep. 

“Good.” she said, smiling as she snuggled a little closer and closed her eyes.

______________

 

Aloy was glad to be back into something resembling a routine, spending her days hunting near the city. But her weeks off had made her to forget just how dirty hunting could be. As she approached Meridian one afternoon after a long, dusty day of hunting, all she could think of was the hot bath that waited for her at home. She was covered in boar’s blood and machine oil, not to mention the mud that crusted on her legs. A long, luxurious bath would be just the thing to make her feel human again.

She lingered in the water until it grew cold, her skin growing more and more wrinkled. When she finally stepped out of the washing room, though, she realized her problem. The clothing that she’d worn that day had been the last of her clean clothes, and she now had nothing to wear. She threw on one of Erend’s tunics instead, knowing that he wouldn’t mind, and padded downstairs to begin preparing supper. 

When Erend got home a short while later, he wasn’t surprised to hear Aloy working in the kitchen. He quickly removed his heavy armour and made his way towards the kitchen, but stopped dead in the doorway of the small room. Aloy was standing there, her back to him, wearing nothing but one of his old tunics. The sight made his breath catch in his throat, the reaction of his body immediate. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her hips, leaning down to kiss the top of her shoulder. He reached up and pushed her hair to the side, returning his hand to her hip as his kisses moved up her neck. 

He ground himself against her backside, pulling her hips against his hardening dick, pressing it into the cleft of her ass. Aloy lifted her arm, wrapping it around the back of his neck and running her fingers through the bottom of his mohawk, turning her head so that she could meet his kisses. She could hear his breathing becoming shallower, feel him shudder against her as she stroked his hair. 

“A good memory?” she asked, reading the telltale signs.

Erend grunted in agreement.

“Which one?” she asked.

“Night by the river.” he growled, barely stopping his kisses long enough to speak.

Aloy thought for a second, casting her mind back, distracted by Erend’s affections.

“On the way to The Claim, the river with the watchers.”

He grunted again as he slid his hand down her hip and under the front of the tunic. 

Aloy grabbed the tunic and started to lift it over her head.

“No, leave it on.” Erend said, turning her around to face him.

He kissed her again, growing hungrier, needier. He lifted her up by her backside, not breaking his kiss, and carried her over to the kitchen table. He set her down on the edge of the table, then fell to his knees in front of her. He kissed his way up her inner thigh, from her knee up to the valley between her thighs. Aloy leaned back onto her elbows, tilting her hips towards him as her head fell back.

As his tongue flicked at her softness, Erend had a brief flash of memory – he had laid beside her that night, so many months ago, and wondered what it would be like to do exactly this. He had wanted so badly to taste her, to hear her cries as he pleasured her, and his entire body throbbed with the memory. He smiled to himself as he sucked on the tiny nub that made her writhe around him – actually being with her was even better than it had been in his wildest dreams. Oh, what a naïve boy he’d been.

Erend stood, tugging off his tunic in a single fluid motion. He kissed her passionately, leaning into her. As he pushed his weight against her, the table slid against the slippery tiled floor, sending them both reeling.

“Well, that’s not going to work.” Erend said between kisses, smiling. 

He kicked off his pants and scooped her up again, carrying her through the doorway and to the settee in the sitting room. He turned and sat, Aloy now straddling his lap. She leaned over him, kissing him deeply, her hands against his firm chest. His hands found her hips, gripping them tightly as she grasped his length and teased his tip against her. He let out a little growl as she smiled down at him.

He thrust himself into her, pushing deep into her core. Aloy threw her head back, a moan coming from deep within her throat. She rocked against him, her fingers curling against his chest. His eyes followed her every move, drinking in the sight of this incredible woman as she rode him. 

“Aloy.” he panted, lifting her backside so that he could pound himself into her. She cupped his face as she leaned forward to kiss him, gasping against his lips when he found a particularly sensitive spot.

“I love you.” she breathed, her face going slack as she was overcome with a wave of sensation.

Erend buried his face into her breasts, thrusting faster. 

“I’m going to…” she cried, but her words were cut off when he crushed his lips against hers. As her body began to tremble and twitch, her tightness pulsing around him, he grunted and let himself go.

When they’d stilled, Erend hugged his beloved Aloy against his chest, his lips resting on her forehead in a gentle kiss. They laid that way for several long minutes, reveling in the moment they’d just shared.

Aloy was the first to move, sitting up once she’d caught her breath. As Erend’s hands reluctantly slipped off her back, she looked down at him and smiled dreamily. 

“You’re glowing.” he said softly, smiling up at her.

“So are you.” 

“Have I told you that I love you?” he asked.

“Not in the last few minutes, no.”

Erend leaned up and kissed her tenderly. He touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “I love you.” he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vanguard Party Soundtrack:  
> Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers - ZZ Top  
> Have a drink on me - AC/DC  
> Whiskey Man - Molly Hatchet  
> Party with the animals - Ozzy Osbourne  
> Fight for your right - Beastie Boys  
> Mas Tequila - Sammy Hagar  
> Whiskey Rock-a-Roller - Lynyrd Skynyrd  
> Whiskey in the jar - Metallica
> 
> Quick side note: The fire trick that Arnt does is actually possible, and can be done with what would have been easily available in the HZD world (it took me FOREVER to find a trick that didn't involve butane or some shit that they wouldn't have in Meridian!) A full description of the technique can be found here: https://bar-tricks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/eat-fire-and-look-damn-good-doin-it-0122102/


	4. Purpose

Aloy had never been happier in her entire life than she was when she was with Erend, and she couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. But she found that the hours while he was away at work were long and lonely. She began to feel a stirring inside her, one that a day of hunting in the wilds couldn’t fill. 

While she’d been recovering from her injuries, she’d tried to make friends in Meridian, but it hadn’t gone well. She was still painfully awkward around people, particularly strangers, and she wasn’t very good at small talk. Most of the women that she’d met were nothing like her and didn’t share her interests, wanting to talk about the latest fashions rather than their favourite types of arrows. The men she’d tried talking to were often interested in talking about arrows and traps, but seemed to be intimidated by her. 

It didn’t help matters that she didn’t really know where to go to meet new people. She’d gone to the tavern one day, thinking that it was a good spot. She’d met a nice young Carja man, a friendly guy who had chatted with her for a while. He’d even bought her a mug of mead. She had enjoyed talking with him, but when she happened to mention Erend he suddenly got quiet. It was almost as if he didn’t want to be her friend anymore, trying to get away from her.

“Erend? As in, head of the Sun King’s Vanguard Erend?” he asked, his eyes growing wide when she gave a little nod.

“Where are you going?” she asked as she watched him retreat.

“Look, you’re really pretty, and if it were anyone else I wouldn’t hesitate. But him? I’ve heard what he can do. I’m not interested in getting on the bad side of the Captain of the Vanguard.”

Aloy shook her head as she watched him leave the tavern. None of what he’d said made any sense to her. She looked at the tavernkeeper, who was quietly wiping a mug.

“What was that about?”

“That, Aloy, is what self-preservation looks like.”

She pursed her lips, her brow still creased with confusion. The tavernkeeper sighed. He’d gotten to know Aloy a little, knew that she was uncomfortable and shy around others. 

“I don’t understand.” she said.

“I know. But trust me when I tell you, you’re better off not trying to make new friends in a tavern. This is where you come to meet the friends you already have, not to make new ones.”

Aloy nodded slowly, a lump growing in her throat. Why did she have to be so bad at this?

She’d gone to the Hunters’ Lodge next, but things there had changed a lot since the defeat of HADES. The changes to the machines, the fact that they weren’t aggressive anymore, had meant big changes for the hunters. They were no longer needed as much, and many of them had simply left the Lodge. The few that were still active would go out for weeks at a time, looking for bigger kills, like thunderjaws, out in the wilds. Talanah usually led the way, and while she’d invited Aloy along a few times, she wasn’t interested in going with them. The idea of being away that long, with no goal other than to kill a few machines, seemed pointless to her. 

Aloy’s closest friends in Meridian were all members of the Vanguard, people that she’d gotten to know through Erend. They were a great bunch, but there were a few problems with turning to them for friendship. The biggest was that they were often busy at the same time as Erend, so befriending them didn’t do much to alleviate her loneliness during the day. The other was that she couldn’t really open up to them. It didn’t take long for her to realize that anything that she mentioned about Erend left him open to teasing. She hadn’t given it much thought until she overheard one of them saying something to Erend one night at the tavern, taunting him about something she’d said. He never said anything to her about it, but she didn’t want to put him in that position again. 

She’d gotten together with some of the others she’d met the night of the Harvest Festival feast at Kort and Thokar’s, and while they had had fun, those interactions were limited. Each of the partners of the Vanguard members had lives of their own, and couldn’t really make much time for her. Even Thokar, who had invited her over a few times to give her cooking lessons, had to go back to The Claim often as part of his work.

So Aloy found herself alone each day, wandering the city or out on the lands that surrounded Meridian. She was fine being by herself, often preferred it even, but it felt empty somehow. She didn’t know when that had changed, because she’d never felt this sense of loneliness before, but it was weaving itself into the fabric of her days and she didn’t know how to stop it. She would kill the odd machine that wandered too close to the city, hunted for meat or gathered herbs to sell to merchants, but even the things that used to keep her busy didn’t feel like enough anymore. 

Aloy used this time to do a lot of self-reflection. It took some time, but she eventually identified the source of her problem. Her life lacked purpose, she realized. From the day that Rost had begun to train her for the Proving, at barely six years old, she’d had a mission. Train hard to be the best. Win the Proving. Discover the secrets of Zero Dawn. Stop HADES and the Eclipse. Find Elizabet. Even her trips to The Claim and The Sacred Lands had had an important purpose. But those were all done now, and she had to figure out what came next for her. Did she really want to spend the rest of her days in Meridian, hunting boar and turkey every day? A lifetime of training to fight, to win, felt wasted on that. Did she want to join the Vanguard? She dismissed the idea as soon as it occurred to her. She had always been too independent, so the Vanguard wouldn’t have been a good fit for her at the best of times, but the fact that she would be putting Erend in the position of being her commander was too much to ask. She knew that she didn’t want to leave Meridian, but she didn’t know what she wanted to do while she was here. And so she stewed, trying to figure out what the future held for her.

Every day, she looked forward to the time she spent with Erend. Their stolen moments on the palace balcony. His warm embrace when he came home at the end of the day. Falling asleep wrapped in his arms. The way he looked at her, his eyes filled with love. It was those parts of her life that brought her comfort and joy, and she knew that she wasn’t willing to risk them even if it meant killing watchers in the Maizelands every day from now until the day she died. 

Aloy never talked to Erend about how she was feeling. She didn’t want to burden him with something that he couldn’t do anything about, that he was powerless to change. But as time stretched on, and she grew more restless, he could tell that something was bothering her. One night, after they’d eaten supper, he noticed that she seemed to be particularly down.

“Aloy, what’s wrong? You’ve seemed so sad lately.” he asked, wrapping his strong arms around her and hugging her to him.

“It’s nothing Erend, I’m alright.” she said, her face buried in his chest.

“Aloy.” he said sternly. “I may be an idiot, but I’m not dumb. I can see that there’s something bothering you. Is it me? Did I do something to upset you?”

“What? No. No, Erend, you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Then what? Tell me. Please.” he said softly, kissing the top of her head.

“I’ve just been thinking a lot about my life.” she said, and felt his whole body stiffen. “Not about you, you’re the best thing in my life, the only good thing in my life.” He relaxed a little, but was still a bit tense.

“But that’s just it. I love every minute of every day that I spend with you. I’m always really happy when you’re around. It’s the other parts of my life that I wonder about. Every day, you go off to work, to protect the city and the king. What you do is important, it has purpose. I have no purpose anymore. My whole life, I’ve had a mission, something to focus on. It’s all I’ve ever done and all that I know how to do. But all of my missions are done now, there are no more mysteries to solve, no more enemies to defeat. What do I DO now, Erend?” she asked, her voice tinged with despair and defeat.

He sighed loudly into her hair and hugged her a little tighter. “I don’t know, Aloy, but I’m going to help you figure it out.” 

She had a point, Erend thought to himself as he hugged her. A quiet life in Meridian isn’t really HER. He had thought about it before, about their future together, but he hadn’t brought up the issue because he didn’t want to pressure her. But the Aloy he knew, the Aloy that he had fallen in love with, was a do-er. She belonged out in the world, changing it through the sheer force of her will. She had too much to give, and she was wasted in this life in Meridian.

But there wasn’t anything saying that they had to stay in Meridian, he realized. He’d be willing to go, to give up his position with the Vanguard, if that was what it took. He could go back to being a freebooter. Or they could search the ruins for relics, living out in the wilds. He could learn to be a tinker, or a smith, and they could build themselves a life somewhere in The Claim. But he circled back around to Aloy. None of those options answered the question of what SHE would do. She was a world-saver, and unfortunately those skills were in short demand these days. 

Together, they’d find her purpose. And then, he would do whatever he needed to do to make that happen. 

_________

Over the next week, Erend kept his ears open, listening for opportunities or ideas. But even Blameless Marad’s spies didn’t have anything to report. Since the defeat of the Eclipse, everything had gone quiet. Other than the odd minor machine threat or small group of bandits, there was nothing happening in the entire Sundom. Aloy had done her job a little too well, it seemed.

Every evening, over supper, they would talk, discussing various options. Aloy had completely refused to entertain the idea of joining the vanguard, and while Erend had been the one to suggest it, he had to admit that it wasn’t a very good fit. Aloy was too free spirited to be tied down to one place like that. 

He had suggested that she have Meridian as her home base, and that she come and go as she needed. This idea was dismissed before it was even out of his mouth, and Erend gave a small sigh of relief. He had brought it up knowing that he would hate every minute that she was gone, but he would have been willing to do it for her. 

Aloy wouldn’t hear of him quitting the Vanguard and leaving Meridian with her. She simply wouldn’t allow him to give up everything for her. Besides, she argued, where would they go and what would they do when they got there? They kept circling back to this same central question, again and again. As they struggled to find a solution, Aloy’s mood got darker and darker, especially during the day when she was alone, as uncertainty boiled within her.

Erend mentioned the dilemma to a few members of the Vanguard, hoping that they might have some ideas. They all tried, but came up just as empty. Roan had suggested that she might want to become a healer, to help people in a new way. Kort had suggested that she might want to work with the Vanguard trainingmaster, to share her skills with them. Erend had brought all of their ideas to her, and while she’d given each one a great deal of thought, none of them had stood out as an ideal use of her talents.

The only close friend that Erend didn’t talk to was Avad. He was worried that Avad would feel an obligation to do something for Aloy, something that he wouldn’t have otherwise done. Besides, Erend told himself, Avad was wise, but spending his days in the palace kept him separate from regular, everyday life. He had been born with a purpose – to serve the Carja people. What would he know of this sort of dilemma?

But, as luck would have it, it was Avad who finally offered a potential solution to their problem.

_____________

 

It was a dreary, drizzly day when the request came. Aloy had stayed home, not wanting the rain and darkened skies to further dampen her already sour mood. Erend had been at work for several hours when she heard a knock at the door.

Aloy opened the door to see a messenger, who wordlessly handed her an envelope and turned back into the misty street. Aloy looked at the paper she’d been handed, and noticed that it bore Avad’s seal. Strange, she thought, Avad had never sent her anything like this before. She opened the envelope to find a summons – the Sun King had something that he wished to discuss with her. Aloy ran out into the drizzle, curious about what Avad might want to speak about.

Erend was surprised to see Aloy coming up the steps of the palace. She almost never came to visit him at work, other than to briefly watch the sunset with him at the end of the day. But it was much too early for that, and there wouldn’t be much of a sunset with these overcast skies anyway.

“Aloy, what are you doing here?” he asked as she approached.

“I’m not sure. I got a summons from Avad, there’s something that he wants to talk to me about. Do you know anything about it?”

“First I’m hearing of it.” Erend said as he turned to follow her towards the throne room.

They climbed the steps side by side, the marble slippery under their boots. Neither were sure what Avad wanted, but both could sense that whatever it was, it was going to be important.

“Ah! Aloy, thank you for coming so quickly, especially with this awful weather.” Avad said, greeting her warmly as she entered the throne room. 

“Hello Avad, it’s nice to see you again. There was something that you wanted to speak to me about?”

“Yes. Please, come sit.” he said, gesturing towards a nearby chair. Erend turned to leave, assuming that their conversation would be private. “Erend, wait, don’t go. This concerns you as well.”  
Once Aloy was seated, Erend standing behind her, Avad paused. It was important that he word this just right, he thought. He’d only have once chance to ask. 

“Aloy.” he began. “There’s something that I’ve been thinking about for some time now, something I’ve been wanting to ask you. I’ve just gotten some news that has brought this to the forefront, and I can no longer delay the question. 

I’ve received an invitation from the Shamans in Ban-Ur, inviting me to speak at their next gathering. Unfortunately, this gathering is happening at the same time as our annual Day of the Deceased ceremony, over which the Sun King must preside. Given the events of the past year, and all of the lives that have been lost, it is impossible for me to be absent. I’ve informed the Shamans, and in order to show my appreciation for their invitation and to extend the branch of continued peace between our peoples, I’ve asked if they would accept an ambassador in my place. They have given their consent. 

Aloy, I had already been giving a great deal of thought to how the people of the Sundom could honour you and all that you’ve done on our behalf. I know that you are not fond of the idea of monuments, or other such overt displays. But I had been thinking that you might appreciate the opportunity to work with us, to help us maintain the bonds of peace that we’ve created.

You were instrumental in creating and strengthening these bonds, Aloy. I could have never dreamed that members of the Nora, or any other tribe, would join us to fight for our city. They did this, despite the fact that their own lands were at risk, because they believed in you. You, Aloy, inspire people to come together. You are a leader, and a warrior for justice. I can think of no better person to travel to Ban-Ur, to The Claim, or to The Sacred Lands on our behalf than you.

When this opportunity with the Shamans presented itself, I knew that the time had come to make my request. Aloy, would you consider being an ambassador, for me and for the Sundom, to the tribes who share our borders? Would you represent me among them, work with me to maintain peace?”

Aloy stared at him, her mouth agape. Be an ambassador for Avad? Could she do that?

Erend stood behind her, amazed at the offer she’d just received. The solution to her problem had finally presented itself, and it ended up coming from the one person he hadn’t wanted to discuss it with. His heart broke at the thought of her being gone for weeks at a time, but she would be doing something important, and that was what she had been searching for. He’d miss her, but he’d find a way to get through it – he wasn’t about to stand in her way.

Avad, seeing the surprise on Aloy’s face, continued. “I don’t expect an answer right away, of course. You should take a few days to think it over.”

Aloy nodded slowly and began to stand, but Avad held up his hand. “A few more things.” Aloy sat back down, and a small smile appeared on Avad’s face as he flicked his eyes towards Erend. “When considering my offer, you should have all of the information that will allow you to make an informed choice. You will be well remunerated, and all of your expenses while traveling on my behalf will be covered. All of this goes without saying. But, while I greatly admire and respect your skills and experience, I wouldn’t feel right sending you out, on my behalf, by yourself. Therefore, you will be assigned an escort from among by Vanguard. I was thinking that the Captain would be the most appropriate choice. He is the strongest and most trustworthy of the Vanguard, and has traveled as one of my envoys before. He accompanied the Sun Priest during his tour of reconciliation, and by all accounts everything went very well. The Sun Priest praised his skill in handling a hostile crowd, his ability to calm agitated people.”

Erend was flabbergasted, and he knew that Avad could tell. A wide smile split Avad’s face.

“So, there is my offer Aloy. Please think it over, and let me know when you’ve made your decision.”

Aloy nodded again, still speechless, and rose. Erend followed her out of the throne room and down the stairs, neither of them caring about the heavy rain that had begun to fall.

Aloy stopped on their balcony and they stood in the rain, staring at one another. They still couldn’t believe what they’d just heard. As the rain fell, drenching them, they had a wordless conversation. Rivulets of cold rainwater ran down Erend’s face, dripping off of his nose and chin, as his eyes searched hers. Finally, Aloy smiled and gave a little nod. Erend let out a loud whoop of joy and hugged her waist, picking her up off her feet. She cupped his face with her hands and kissed him, not caring if they were making a scene. Erend slowly let her back down to the ground as he kissed her back, feeling in her kiss all of the love, the joy, and the relief that she was feeling.

When they finally broke apart and Aloy had turned towards home, Erend went back to the throne room. Avad looked at him, dripping all over the shiny stone floor, and smiled.

“I hope that you’re not upset with me Erend. I thought about discussing it with you first, but it seemed unfair to Aloy to do that. And it would have been unfair to you, to ask you to keep it a secret from her.”

“I understand Avad. I’m not upset, just the opposite, actually. I wanted to thank you. The decision rests with her, of course, but this offer is exactly the sort of thing that she’d been looking for.”

“I thought as much, and it’s actually one of the many reasons why I offered her the position. Aloy is a smart woman, a brave woman, this we all know. But she is also a woman of action, she needs to have a goal that she can work towards. I hope that my offer represents a possibility for her to do that. But my offer isn’t entirely unselfish, you know. I think that it’s important that my ambassador not be someone from the Sun Court. I believe that the Sundom being represented by a Nora, accompanied by an Oseram, will show the other tribes just how serious I am in my desire to build strong ties with them.” 

Erend nodded, knowing that Avad was right. The Council of Clans, he knew, already respected Avad for choosing Oseram as his personal vanguard. The Matriarchs and the Shamans would be just as impressed to see the infamous Nora as the king’s ambassador. 

When Erend walked into the apartment later that evening, an excited Aloy was sitting on the settee, waiting for him.

“I’ve been thinking about it all day.” she blurted out, almost as soon as he’d walked in.

“Me too.” he offered, coming to sit beside her.

“I’m really not sure if I could do a good job, I’m so terrible with people, but I was thinking that I’d try it. We could go to Ban-Ur, and then see what happens.”

“I like that idea.” Erend said supportively.

“But I’ve been wondering, what about your work here in Meridian? If I do decide that I like being an ambassador and you escort me, will that affect your job as Captain?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. She knew how much being in the vanguard meant to him.

“Avad and I talked about that, and no it wouldn’t. Not really. He would only need his ambassador to visit each of the tribes, at most, three times a year. Probably less. Each of the trips would only last a few weeks – travel there, spend a week or two, and travel back. I would know about each trip well ahead of time, so I would have plenty of time to prepare patrol routes and troop rotations to cover my absence, no problem.” he said, smiling at her reassuringly.

“How do you think things will go, though, when you have to go to The Sacred Lands?” he asked, now his turn to be concerned. 

“It won’t be easy, but we’ll get through it. I’ll take a few days of strange interactions here and there, if it means that we get to spend more time in The Claim.” she replied, her voice eager again.  
Erend smiled. He loved the fact that she liked being in The Claim.

“So, I’ll tell Avad tomorrow, then.” she said, her voice lifting as if asking a question.

“Yah, I think that you should.” he replied, his voice a mixture of encouragement and pride. Aloy would now be working to keep the peace that she had worked so hard for, sacrificed so much for. And he would be by her side.

Avad was overjoyed to learn that Aloy had accepted his offer to go meet with the Shamans. He immediately supplied her with all of the information that he had about Ban-ur and the Banuk people, which was admittedly not a lot. He left her to prepare for the journey ahead, one that would no doubt test her abilities.

______________

 

Aloy slowly began her preparations, learning as much as she could about the journey ahead and the people that she would meet once she arrived in Ban-Ur. She had been to a Banuk village before, so she knew a little of what she could expect. She spent time gathering supplies, knowing that the journey would be a long and cold one.

Erend was also preparing for the journey ahead. He visited Akoulina, the vanguard armoursmith, and requested that she make a set of vanguard steel that would be suitable for the sub-zero temperatures that they’d be encountering. He’d been able to get by with his regular armour in The Claim, by adding a thicker tunic and pants, but he knew that those changes wouldn’t be enough to protect him from the notorious cold of Ban-Ur. There wasn’t much known about the homeland of the Banuk, their merchants fleeing Meridian’s heat as soon as they could, and only one Carja explorer ever having reported back. The details were sketchy, but one thing was clear – it was cold. Very cold. But Erend wasn’t too worried about it, both the Oseram and the Nora lived in cold, mountainous regions themselves – surely he and Aloy could handle whatever Ban-Ur was about to throw at them.

What began to weigh more heavily on him, though, as their departure day grew nearer, was something else entirely. The one year anniversary of Ersa’s death was also fast approaching, a day he would mark just two days before they left for Ban-Ur. The hole that Ersa’s death had left in Erend’s heart had begun to heal, but the impending anniversary was a reminder of his loss. Erend was veiled in sadness, his grief still raw as it rose again to the surface.

As the day drew nearer, Aloy tried desperately to help him, to come up with something that might bring him comfort. Once again, she ran into the wall of her inexperience, not knowing what to say to console him. 

“I’ve been thinking a lot about Ersa lately, and I know that you have been too.” she offered over supper one night. “I wish that I knew what to say, I wish that I was better at this.” she said quietly. 

“Aloy, no one is any good at this sort of thing. It helps just to know that you’re here, that you’re thinking of her too.”

“Well, I was wondering - in two days from now, it will have been a year since you lost her. Is there something special that you’d like to do?” 

“Yah. I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and I think that I’d like to do a Fire of Remembrance ceremony in her honour. Would you come with me?”

She looked at him with serious eyes. “Always.” she said in a voice filled with unwaivering certainty.

Aloy spent the next two days gathering wood for the fire that would honour Ersa’s memory, and bringing it to a beautiful meadow at the confluence of two streams, not far from the city. The fire would be lit in her name, Erend had explained, and then allowed to burn until it extinguished itself. Aloy also carefully prepared the area, tidying the spot she’d picked – she wanted to make it perfect, for Erend and for Ersa. 

The day of the anniversary was a somber one for Erend. He was quiet all day, not at all his usual boisterous self, and a dark cloud followed him around. Everyone in the vanguard knew not to bother him with trivial things, leaving him be unless it was an item of importance that couldn’t wait. They too, were having a down day – most of them had known Ersa for years, had followed her as their Captain, and had cared about her a great deal. It was a difficult day for all of them. 

That evening, when Erend got home, Aloy met him at the door and brought him to the spot she’d chosen, the moon lighting their way as they walked, both lost in thought. 

When they arrived at the spot, Erend let out a gasp - he couldn’t believe the pile of wood that Aloy had gathered. It was taller than him, a pyramid that reached for the stars. It would take hours to burn down, hours that they would spend thinking about Ersa and all that she had meant to them.

“Wow, Aloy. This is….” Erend started, the lump in his throat choking him, cutting off his words.

She looked at him with a sympathetic smile on her lips and took his hand in hers, squeezing it. Her actions spoke much louder than any words she could have shared, and Erend was once again thankful for her steadfast presence. He looked at her for a moment, her sad eyes glistening in the moonlight, and then made his way towards the ring of logs that had been neatly piled.

“This fire is in remembrance of Ersa.” Erend said as he laid his hands on the rough wood. “As it burns, we remember all of the ways that her life touched ours. May the smoke of this fire carry our memories to her spirit, to remind her that she is forever loved.”

Erend bent and carefully lit the fire. It licked at the twigs at the base of the pile, crackling and sending its sparks into the dark night sky, slowly growing as it climbed the logs that surrounded it. Erend sat down on the cold ground, his knees to his chest, as quiet tears slid down his cheeks. Aloy could see the tears reflected in the firelight as she sat down beside him, and gently kissed his temple. He shuffled over to lay his head in her lap, letting out a loud sigh as she began to stroke her fingers along his scalp, soothing him.

They stayed there, silently watching the fire as it grew higher and higher. Erend allowed himself to be comforted by the soft caress of Aloy’s fingers, the feel of them as they ran alongside his mohawk. As his tears flowed, he allowed himself to feel the loss of Ersa, knowing that he was safe with Aloy.

“I really wish that you could have known her.” he said after a long while. “It’s dumb, I know, to miss something that never happened, but I miss the time that you didn’t get to spend together. I want the two of you to be friends, the two most important people in my life. And I wish that she was here to see all of the changes in my life since you’ve come along. I want her to see how happy I am with you. I miss being able to sit back and watch the two of you chatting over a mug of brew. I want that, Aloy. I want that so badly.”

“I know.” Aloy whispered.

They both fell quiet again, and sat unmoving until a rustling in the nearby bushes roused them.

“Mind if we join you?” Roan asked softly, the other members of the Vanguard emerging from the shadows behind him.

Erend sat up, wiping his cheeks with the back of his hand. He motioned to the ground beside him, and they began to take their places around the fire. 

Erend was shifting, making himself comfortable as the others settled in, when he noticed a flash out of the corner of his eye. When he turned and saw the source, he smiled. 

“Are you sure that you don’t mind sitting on the ground? We could go get you a log, or something, if you want.” he asked Avad.

Avad waived him off. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m fine where I am.” He smiled gently, his eyes suddenly filled with sadness. “We’re here for her, not me.”

Erend nodded slowly, casting his eyes down to the ground at his feet. Why did his grief still seem so fresh, he wondered. It had been a year, a whole year of his life that Ersa had missed. He should be getting used to it by now, he scolded himself, and yet somehow it still felt like he’d only just seen her yesterday.

“This is an impressive fire.” Griff said quietly. “Very fitting.”

Every one of them nodded in agreement. Ersa had been an impressive woman, strong and fearless and smart. They had all laughed together, drank together, fought together and mourned together. Every one of them missed her, each in their own way.

“Heh, do you remember the time she beat up that guy for smacking her ass in the tavern in Longlake?” Ando said, a quiet chuckle on his lips.

“She did more than kick his ass! She hit him so hard that his ancestors felt it.” Arnt said, smiling sadly. “I kinda fell in love with her that day.”

Erend looked over at Avad, who was covering his face with his hand, his shoulders shaking. Only one of the people around this fire had ever truly fallen in love with his sister, he knew. His heart hurt as he watched Avad silently grieve.

As the fire burned, they continued to share stories about Ersa. They talked about how she had touched their lives, shared her friendship and guidance, how she’d been there for them through thick and thin. Many tears were shed, sprinkled among the laughter and smiles. Erend stayed quiet for the most part, just listening. It helped him to know how much Ersa had meant to the other members of the Vanguard, how much they’d looked up to her. It helped him to hear their funny stories and favourite memories of her, to remember how much light she’d brought into the world. It helped most of all, though, to listen to Aloy laugh at the stories that were shared, to know that she was getting to know Ersa a little better.

As the fire began to burn low, they all quieted. They’d spent hours reminiscing, but somehow the group had silently agreed that the time had come for reflection. As the last of the flames sputtered and died, they slowly rose to their feet.

“Thank you for coming…” Erend started.

“We miss her too.” Roan said, cutting him off. He said it gently, making it clear to Erend that no thanks were needed. They were here for him, but they’d also come for themselves. 

As they began to file back to the city, Avad pulled Erend aside. “I wanted to thank you.” he said quietly. “I know that you didn’t do this for me, it’s just…. I never got to go with you when you laid her to rest, and I’ve always felt like I never truly had the chance to say goodbye to her. You gave me that tonight, Erend, and I will always be grateful for it.” 

Avad hugged him tightly, tears on both of their cheeks. They had both loved her so much, but only Erend had been allowed his grief. It wasn’t fair, Erend thought as he hugged his friend, none of it was. 

They walked quietly back to Meridian, the bright moonlight illuminating their way. No one said anything when they reached the city, each simply going their separate ways. Erend took Aloy’s hand as they walked through the streets towards home.

Neither of them said a word as they crawled into bed. Erend slid towards her and laid his head on her chest, feeling her arms wrap around him. It was then that his tears began in earnest, and he sobbed into her as quiet tears rolled down her cheeks. They cried themselves to sleep, wrapped in each other’s comforting arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Soundtrack :  
> I still haven’t found what I’m looking for – U2  
> Shake it out – Florence + The Machine  
> I’m in here (piano version) – Sia  
> Next to me – Emeli Sandé  
> By your side – Sade  
> Fix you – Coldplay  
> Mess is mine – Vance Joy  
> Lean on me – Bill Withers  
> Hold you in my arms – Ray Lamontagne  
> Hold on – Michael Bublé  
> Let go – Frou Frou  
> Caught a long wind – Feist  
> The rain song – Led Zeppelin  
> Never let me go – Florence + The Machine  
> Don’t forget to breathe – Mike O’Neill  
> Landslide – Stevie Nicks  
> Love shines – Ron Sexsmith  
> My silver lining – First Aid Kit  
> Nothing’s real but love – Rebecca Ferguson  
> Is your love big enough? – Lianne La Havas  
> Breathing underwater – Metric  
> At your side – The Corrs  
> Rome wasn’t built in a day – Morcheeba  
> Move in the right direction - Gossip
> 
> Ersa’s Memorial Soundtrack :  
> Stars – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals  
> Fire and rain – James Taylor  
> Knockin’ on heaven’s door – Bob Dylan  
> Bridge over troubled water – Simon & Garfunkel  
> Let it be – The Beatles 
> 
> I know, I know…. This chapter fails to account for the need to repair GAIA. For some reason, when I wrote the outline for this story (way back in late March/early April – wow, how time flies when you’re writing!) I forgot all about the whole GAIA thing. I don’t really know why, other than to say that I am apparently an idiot. Then I wrote out the first draft of the entire story, and STILL didn’t remember. When I finally did remember (embarrassingly recently) that GAIA was still a thing, I thought about incorporating that into my story. But honestly, I kinda didn’t want to. It would add a whole new direction for the story, and I like where the story currently ends up. It would also make the story MUCH longer than I had intended, because really – that’s a whole story in and of itself. Maybe, in this version of HZD, she discovered that GAIA couldn’t be repaired, or some other simple explanation as to why that is lacking. But I finally realized that, when it boiled down to it, the theme of this chapter would still eventually come to pass, GAIA repair or not - What comes next for Aloy, when she’s done saving the world? 
> 
> Also, I’ll just mention that it will be a few weeks before I’m able to post my next chapter. Halloween is fast approaching, and as I’ve mentioned before it’s my very favourite day of the year (which means lots of time spent on prep for costumes and decorations). Who knows, maybe I’ll go as Valka this year? :P
> 
> Happy Winskill everyone!
> 
> Ps: Your comments have really kept me going (like I've said before, comments are my drug of choice). Thank you so much to all those who take the time to share their thoughts with me!


	5. Ban-Ur

The morning of their departure dawned brightly, the sun ushering them out of bed. Erend took his time in the washing room, enjoying a long hot soak. It was sure to be the last he’d have for quite some time. 

Their bags were packed and waiting by the front door, laden down with cold weather gear and gifts for the Shamans and Chiefs courtesy of Avad. Erend couldn’t quite believe the enormous loads that they’d be carrying, but he knew that they’d be thankful for every one of those pieces once they reached Ban-Ur. In The Claim, he’d seen people lose fingers and toes to the cold if they weren’t properly prepared, and he had no intention of letting that happen to either of them on this trip.

Akoulina had really come through for him in that regard. When he’d asked her to make him a set of Vanguard steel that could withstand Ban-Ur’s weather, her eyebrows had almost disappeared into her hair. She had grown used to making armour for the heat of Meridian. But the armour that she’d given him was a sight to behold – it had the usual ring-locked steel plates for protection, but it also had thick fur linings and sturdy outer leathers to keep him warm, with a layer of fluffy goose down between them for added insulation. This armour had long leather sleeves, a high collar, and thick lined leather pants that he would pull over the pants that he usually wore. Wearing it would take some getting used to, as it was quite a bit thicker and a little more cumbersome than the armour he normally had, but he’d take cumbersome over frostbite any day. 

After breakfast, Aloy took a moment to double-check their supplies. They were heading into unknown lands, after all, and they had no idea what sorts of things they might encounter. They also weren’t sure whether they would be able to find the same plants that they usually relied on for healing or crafting, so Aloy had ensured that they were both fully stocked.

With a final nod, Aloy shouldered her bag and gathered her weapons, Erend following her lead. He had to admit that he was excited to be leaving, as he locked the door behind them. It had been months since they’d traveled together, and so much had changed in that time. He was eager to have some one-on-one time with Aloy, to have the long talks and starry night skies that they loved to share with one another when they were out in the wilds.

As they neared the elevators that would take them down and out of the city, Erend saw a few of the Vanguard members approaching them. They had obviously come to see them off.

“So, you’re finally on your way, are you?” Senoa asked.

“Yah.” Erend said, nodding.

“You sure that you’ve brought enough stuff with you?” Ando asked jokingly.

“Just enough to make sure that we don’t freeze to death.”

The joking around came to a sudden stop, the faces of each of the Vanguard becoming serious. They knew that this trip would be no picnic, that Erend and Aloy were facing very real danger.

“Just…be careful out there.” Senoa said somberly. “And Aloy, good luck.” she added as she hugged them goodbye. 

“Yah, good luck Aloy. I’m sure that you’ll make us proud.” Kort said, wrapping her in a warm embrace.

Erend watched, a small smile on his face, as his second family wished Aloy well. It always made him happy to see the different parts of his life fitting so well together, pieces of a puzzle that matched perfectly. 

They waved goodbye as the elevator doors closed with a clang. 

“Well, here we go.” Erend said, smiling.

“Off on a new adventure.” Aloy added. 

Erend could see the excitement in her eyes, hear the anticipation in her voice. Here was Aloy in her element – bravely exploring new worlds, facing unknown dangers head-on. Her adventurous spirit was what had brought them together, Erend knew, and he loved watching her take on the world.

The first few days of their trip were quiet, as they traveled the familiar roads of the Sundom. They headed north, taking the same road they’d taken to go to The Claim. It wasn’t until they turned east at Lone Light, headed for Dawn’s Sentinel, that it started to feel new. It felt a bit strange to Erend, to be turning off of the road that headed north towards his homeland. But, he told himself, if Aloy decided that she liked her role as ambassador, it wouldn’t be long before they’d be headed that way again.

Erend and Aloy had long talks as they walked, as they always had. These talks, though, were very different from any that had come before. Rather than chatting about their pasts, Erend and Aloy often discussed their future together. They talked about Aloy’s ambassadorship, and how that would change things for them. They talked about Erend’s growing comfort with his leadership role as Captain of the Vanguard, as well as the parts of being a leader that he still struggled with. They also talked about the life they were building for themselves in Meridian, and what they hoped that would look like as the years went by.

“Aloy, with everything that’s happened in the last little while, with you feeling restless and all that, there was, um, something that I was wondering…”

“What’s that?”

“Well, you already know that I love you, and that I want to spend the rest of my days with you.”

“And I want to spend the rest of my days with you too.”

Erend smiled at her. By the forge, why was he so nervous? Just ask the stupid question already!

“So… I was wondering. Have you thought about what the future holds for you? For us?” he asked, his voice unsteady.

“Of course I have Erend.”

“And, well, um, does that future include little ones?” he asked, the words tumbling from his mouth. There, he’d finally spit it out.

“Little ones? You mean children?”

Erend sighed. Leave it to him to word things in a way that Aloy wouldn’t understand right away. 

“Yah, I mean children.”

Aloy went quiet, watching her feet move through the grass as she walked. Erend’s nerves were really starting to get to him when she finally looked up at him.

“I’m sorry, Erend, but I don’t think that it does.” she said sadly. “It’s just that I’ve never really been around children, so I don’t know anything about them. And I don’t think that motherhood would be something that I’d be suited for. I need to be moving, doing things, and that’s not really something that you can do when you have a child. I’d… we’d… be tied to one place. And you know how difficult that is for me.”

She let out a long sigh. “Is that a problem?” 

Erend smiled reassuringly. “No, that’s not a problem at all.”

“Really? You’re sure?”

“I’m absolutely sure. I only asked because I wanted to know whether we wanted the same thing, and it turns out that we do. I was worried that you might want children, and honestly Aloy, I’ve always known that fatherhood would not be for me.”

“It’s not?”

“No. Just think about it. I didn’t exactly grow up in ideal circumstances either. And you know how much I struggle with the darkness inside me, the way that I think about myself. Forge, I only just grew up, and that’s only because Ersa made me promise to. No, I’m not father material.” 

“So, then, it’s just you and me?”

“You and me against the world.” he said, bringing her hand to his lips as they walked on. Erend smiled, feeling a lot better than he had before. It was an enormous relief to know that he and Aloy were of one mind, and the anxiety that he’d been feeling over the issue began to ebb away. His future had just become a little clearer, a little more certain. 

Other aspects of their travel were new and different too. While they still set up their nightly camp like a well-oiled machine, there were also a lot of firsts. The first time they cuddled up by the fire after supper, just holding one another and watching the flames dance. The first time they sat on a hilltop to watch the sunset and shared a loving kiss. The first time they made love under the stars. All of these new experiences made Erend feel like Aloy was a mystery that he’d never finish unraveling, a woman who would forever be surprising him. Even the most mundane experiences were exciting when he shared them with her.

One night, a few days walk past Dawn’s Sentinel, they had another new experience. The evening began as it always did, with Erend setting up camp and starting the fire, while Aloy went out hunting for their nightly meal. They had enjoyed the sunset together, a particularly breathtaking one that had left them both awed. They’d chatted as they cooked and ate their supper. Aloy had set the perimeter while he extinguished the fire, then they’d gone to bed, everything as it always was. 

It was the loud boom of the explosion that woke Erend, and as he shot to his feet and reached for his weapon, he saw that Aloy was doing the same. 

“What was that?” he asked, wide awake thanks to the adrenaline pumping through his body.

“I don’t know. I’ll go have a look.” 

“WE’LL go have a look.” he said, falling into step behind her.

They only had to take a few steps before they saw it – a sawtooth, snarling and on high alert. It had tripped the perimeter wires that Aloy had set, and while the explosion had damaged it, it was far from dead.

“Good thing those wires were there.” Erend whispered. He imagined waking up to a sawtooth standing over him, and shuddered. If that had happened, he knew, he likely wouldn’t have woken up at all. As a warrior, he’d always assumed that he’d meet his end in the heat of battle, not under the foot of a machine that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

“Shhh!” Aloy shushed him under her breath.

As the sawtooth scanned for threats, sparks flying from it, Erend and Aloy quickly devised a plan. 

“Be safe.” Aloy whispered, giving him a quick kiss before darting out of their grassy hiding spot and scrambling up the embankment nearby.

Erend watched nervously as Aloy fired the first of her tearblast arrows, and nearly choked when the sawtooth spun around to face the threat. He trusted Aloy’s abilities, but he knew that he would never, ever be ok watching her face danger. He needed only to remind himself of her fall from the mesa to know that even she, as spectacular as she was, wasn’t invincible. 

The machine snarled and charged towards the embankment, but Aloy was too high up for it to reach her. She fired arrow after arrow, each one tearing away at the sawtooth’s armoured plating. Metal pieces rained down around Erend, still crouched down in the grass as he awaited Aloy’s signal, his heart pounding.

Another tiny explosion ripped a chunk off of the sawtooth. “NOW!” Aloy yelled.

Erend was up in a split second, charging towards the sparking machine. He roared as he swung his hammer, the crushing blow knocking the sawtooth onto its side. It staggered to its feet, but not before Erend had struck it again, his massive hammer destroying its hind leg.

As Aloy continued to fire arrows from above, Erend attacked from the ground. He took the brunt of the sawtooth’s fury, the crushing blows of its powerful paws smashing into him and knocking him to the ground. Despite the machine’s relentless attacks, Erend always jumped his feet, and before long the machine was nothing but a pile of debris.

“Are you alright?” Aloy gasped as she slid down the embankment towards him. “That last swipe it took looked painful.”

“Oh yah, I’m fine. I’ve taken harder hits than that in daily training.”

“Are you sure? Do you want me to take a look?” she asked, running her hand over spot where the machine had hit him hardest.

Erend smacked his palms against the metal plating of his armour. “All of this metal might slow me down, but it also protects my ass. I’m telling you, I’m fine.” 

Aloy let out a long breath. “Ok. But you really scared me, you know.”

Erend smiled softly at her, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. “I know exactly how that feels.”

They returned to their camp, but after all of the excitement the sawtooth brought, Erend and Aloy had trouble returning to sleep. Both of them lied awake, staring up at the night sky, hoping that sleep would come soon. They had a long day to look forward to, and it would only be longer if they were both tired.

“I can’t sleep.” Aloy finally said as she turned towards Erend, laying her head on his shoulder.

Erend wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. “Me neither.”

“What should we do? We really need to get back to sleep.”

They laid there for a few minutes more, quietly contemplating. 

“Well, I could take off my armour and you could have a look at me.” Erend said.

“You’re hurt? You insisted that you weren’t hurt!”

“Oh, I’m not hurt.”

“Then why would…” Aloy asked, trailing off when she saw the playful sparkle in Erend’s eye. 

“Have a look at you, you say?” she asked, giggling as she stretched up to kiss him.

______________

After they’d passed through Dawn’s Sentinel, the weather began to grow cold. It wasn’t yet cold enough for Erend to take out his new armour, but he did change into the thicker linens that he normally wore in The Claim. That would take him as far as the Banuk encampment near the Grave-Hoard. The plan was to leave their warmer weather armour there, and carry on with only their cold weather gear. They wouldn’t be needing any light tunics, not where they were headed. He had also stopped shaving, allowing his beard and hair to grow in a little – he felt strange, not at all like himself, but the extra hair would help keep him warm and protect his skin from the harsh frozen winds of Ban-Ur. 

As they were eating supper one night by the fire, Aloy reached up and brushed her fingers through the new stubble on Erend’s head.

“I know why you have to let it grow, but I have to say that I’m going to miss your mohawk.”

“You and me both.” Erend said somberly, running his hand over the strip of hair that was quickly disappearing among the new growth. “Honestly, I hate letting it grow. I’ve had my hair like this since I was a junior freebooter. Ersa cut it for me the first time, now that I think about it.” He let out a quiet sigh, smiling at the memory. “But it’s not forever.”

“No, it’s not.” Aloy said, her fingers sliding down his cheek and pinching his chin. “Neither are these whiskers, but these I’m not going to miss. They scratch like dried shock wax root.”

“Oh, you mean like this?” Erend asked, cupping her face and rubbing his chin against her skin. 

Aloy squealed and laughed, playfully pushing him away. “Yes, like that!”

Erend couldn’t help but chuckle, Aloy’s laughter brightening his mood. Somehow, she always knew just what to do to make him feel better. 

_________

For days they walked, Aloy pointing out various points of interest as they went. The spot where she’d taken down a particularly difficult machine. The village she’d freed. The vantage point she’d found. The place where she’d dug up an interesting relic. Erend never grew tired of listening to the stories of Aloy’s adventures, smiling at the way her eyes lit up as she recounted each harrowing experience. He walked beside her as they skirted the edge of the Sacred Lands, winding their way east, and hoped that she’d never run out of stories to tell. This, the stories reminded him, this was the woman that he’d fallen in love with. She was independent and intelligent. Fearless, relentless, even a bit crazy sometimes. He admired that about her, and as much as her bravery scared him, he hoped that she’d never change.

As they rounded the edge of the mountains and headed north, climbing into the Longroam that bordered Ban-Ur, the snow got deeper and the trail harder to find.

“I can see why the Banuk hate going to Meridian.” Aloy said as she hugged her Nora furs around her. She had her thick Banuk-made armour with her, but she’d decided not to wear it until it was time to leave the warm weather armour behind. 

“Yah, if this is what they’re used to, it makes sense that they’d be miserable there.”

“You know, I was thinking… maybe they don’t have to come all the way to Meridian.”

“What do you mean? Where else would they go?”

“Well, if they only come to Meridian for trade, what if Avad set up a place where they could trade, someplace closer to them? Maybe on the edge of The Sacred Lands, so that the Nora could trade there too? It could be a place where the merchants of Meridian could meet both tribes, everyone could trade with one another, and then everyone goes home with what they need.”

“That….. that might just work.” Erend said, his mind whirring. It was one more way that the Sundom could show the other tribes that they wanted to build peaceful, lasting relationships with their neighbours. “You should bring that idea to Avad, as soon as we get back. An outpost, built especially for trade – I think he’d like that.”

“The merchants in Meridian might not like the idea, though.”

“Are you kidding? They’d love it! Now that the derangement is gone, traveling is much safer than it used to be. So the merchants could travel to this trading spot, get everything that they need, but then charge two or three times the price that they used to charge when they get back to Meridian? What’s not to love?” 

_____________

The closer that they got to Ban-Ur, the heavier the weight upon Erend’s shoulders grew. He never breathed a word of it to Aloy, but he was worried - about their safety, about all of the things that could go wrong on this trip. They were going into unknown lands, full of unknown animals and machines, and the only thing that they knew about it was that it was cold enough to kill you. It was a strange feeling to have, he knew, because Aloy was the best person to choose if you needed to travel into a place like that. She had more skills and knowledge than a whole village full of people, and she was more than capable of keeping herself safe, keeping them both safe. But then again, it was ALOY, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t make himself stop thinking about how he felt when he’d found her after her accident. They were headed towards one of the most dangerous places that either of them had ever heard of, and any number of things could happen. It was his job to protect her – Avad had seen to that. What would he do if he failed? The thought gnawed at his insides, twisting him into knots as he circled back to it again and again. 

_______________

When they finally arrived at the Banuk encampment in the Longroam, Erend had been surprised. He hadn’t known exactly what to expect of the Banuk, despite all that Aloy had told him about the mysterious tribe. They had remembered Aloy, and welcomed her with open arms, but many of them were very cold and distant towards him.

“You are Oseram.” Tikuk, the local shaman, had said upon meeting Erend.

Erend looked over the man’s strange headdress, noticed the blue wires that pierced his skin. “Uh, yah.”

“The Oseram are brutes, with no understanding of the balance between man and machine.”

“Tikuk!” Aloy scolded, surprised at the man’s unkind words.

“No, Aloy, it’s alright.” Erend said, holding up his hands in an attempt to calm her. “He is allowed to think what he wants of my people. And to be honest...” he said, looking at Tikuk’s long frown, “I kind-of agree with him.”

Aloy whipped her head around, her steely gaze making Erend shrink a little in his boots. “The Oseram are NOT brutes!” she growled.

“No, of course we’re not. But he’s right, in that we don’t see a balance between people and machines.” Erend said calmly, then turned towards Tikuk. “You believe that there is a balance?”

“Yes. The Creator ensures that there is a balance between all things of this earth. I myself have seen this, many times. You have too, if your eyes knew only to see it.”

Erend gave a little nod, a gesture that seemed to appease Tikuk.

“But perhaps not all Oseram are alike. Perhaps there are those among you who could learn to see.” The shaman offered, then extended a hand towards Erend.

Erend smiled, and took Tikuk’s hand. “Perhaps there are.” 

Both Aloy and Erend were thankful for the respite from another long, cold night spent on the road. While the Banuk of the encampment didn’t offer them anything in terms of food or shelter, just having the opportunity to set up their tent next to a fire that wouldn’t need to be extinguished was enough to make them happy.

As they left the encampment early the next morning, much of their gear left safely in Tikuk’s care, Erend was thankful for the lighter load. It had been tough going, trudging through the deep snow laden down with heavy packs. It took him a little while to get used to walking in his new armour though, the fur lined helm, boots and gauntlets just as awkward as the pieces that covered his neck, torso, arms and legs. 

“I feel like an overstuffed training dummy.” he said, his movements stiff and ungainly as they made their way up the path.

Aloy covered her mouth, trying her best not to laugh at him. “You look like one. Maybe I should take a whack at you with my spear?”

Erend groaned and rolled his eyes at her. “Oh, ha ha.” 

But as they climbed and climbed, the thick leather began to loosen up, and movement became easier. Erend took off his hammer and gave a few test swings, making sure that he had full range of movement.

“So, that’s the Grave-Hoard.” he said as he swung, eyeing the enormous structure that loomed above them. 

“Yah. Met my first deathbringer in there. Well, the first fully operational one anyway.”

“I never thought I’d get this close to one of those things. I had no idea that they were that big. Imagine facing one of those in battle.” Erend said, his body giving an involuntary shudder.

“There’s a reason the Nora call them metal devil.”

“Do you think it’d be safe inside? We could make camp in there. It’ll be dark soon, and if we were inside, at least we could keep a fire lit.”

“Yah, probably. We’ll do a quick sweep of the first floor, but there shouldn’t be any more Eclipse in there. I took care of them all the last time I was here.”

As they entered the colossal machine, both Erend and Aloy were thankful to be out of the howling wind. It was still cold inside the shell of the machine, but at least they were protected from the worst of the elements. 

Camp took quite a bit longer to set up that night, given the scarcity of both wood and game. Erend somehow managed to gather enough wood to light the fire, and he was surprised when he came back to discover that Aloy was not yet back. He piled the wood and set up the tent, then lit the fire that would warm them throughout the night. It would be a delicate balance, he thought to himself as he waited for her to return, to find that sweet spot between staying warm and remaining undetected while they were out in the wilds of Ban-Ur.

That thought brought to mind a lesson that Ersa had taught him, when she was new to the junior freebooters and they were living in their little camp outside Longlake. It wasn’t unusual for freebooters to travel in the winter, and sometimes they ran into fierce winter storms. On colder nights, a few of them would throw large rocks into the fire, digging them out of the coals just before bed. When Ersa had asked them about it, they told her that they put the rocks in their cooking pots, beside their pillows; or wrapped them in leather and put them under the blankets by their feet, and the hot rocks would keep them warm all night. In his mind’s eye, Erend could picture Ersa as she told him the story. His chest constricted a little, but a tiny smile also found its way to his lips. “I’ll tuck that one away for later.” he said to his sister’s ghost. 

“I hope that finding food won’t become an issue.” Aloy said as she appeared in the doorway of the Grave-Hoard. “It took me forever to find these.” she added, holding up two rabbits.

“Forge, I hope not.” Erend said. “Heh, would you look at that. They’re white here. The rabbits in The Claim are white, but only during the winter.”

“It’s a good thing that I have this.” Aloy said, tapping her focus with her finger. “Otherwise, I’d never have seen them.”

“It’s hard, but not impossible. I used to hunt rabbits all the time when I was younger. There’s a trick to it, I’ll show you.” he said as he took the rabbits from her and quickly cleaned them, peeling the fur from their bodies. 

They sat around the fire as their rabbits cooked, enjoying the heat that radiated around them. 

“I wonder what else will be different in Ban-Ur.” Erend said as he stared into the flames. “So far, I’ve seen people with wires in their skin, crazy machines from the old ones, strange animals… and we’re not even there yet. What’s waiting for us on the other side of that border?”

“I have no idea.” Aloy said. “But whatever it is, we’ll face it together.”

__________

As they climbed past the Grave-Hoard, the road continued to narrow, until it was little more than a thin trail through the snow. It would disappear from time to time, the wind having blown wide snow drifts across the path. Erend and Aloy would forge ahead, searching until they were able to pick up the trail again. 

“SLAAAAAG!” Erend yelled when they’d lost the path for the third time in less than an hour, his frustration bubbling over. Since they were going in to Ban-Ur blind, without maps or any idea where they were headed, exactly, they were relying on the road to lead them. Without it, they were hopelessly lost. And out here, he knew, being lost meant that they were as good as dead.

“We’ll figure it out.” Aloy said, trying to reassure him. She laid a hand on his arm, hoping that her own worry wasn’t too obvious. She was used to exploring new lands, but these conditions were making it very difficult to do so.

They walked, wandered really, until the outline of the path appeared beneath the dusting of snow beneath their feet. Erend let out a small sigh of relief, but there was little that he could do to alleviate his growing anxiety. What had they gotten themselves in to?

They had crested the mountain and were halfway down the other side when Aloy stuck out her arm to stop him.

“There!” Aloy shouted, pointing into the distance.

“There what. I don’t see anything.” Erend said, his brow wrinkled in confusion.

“My focus is picking up a signal.”

“A signal of what? It could be anything, Aloy.”

“No, it’s not.” she said eagerly, taking his hand and dragging him from the path. 

As their feet left the path, the one thing that was sure to keep them safe, Erend felt his anxiety spike. His pulse began to race and he choked on every breath that he managed to take. A cold sweat instantly covered his entire body as he began to shake, and he had to fight the urge to curl in on himself.

“Aloy. Stop. Please stop.” he begged.

She turned towards him, and her eyes bulged. “Erend! What’s wrong?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears at the sight of him in such distress.

“I just need to stop.” he wheezed, slumping down into the snow.

“OK, ok we’ll stop.” Aloy reassured him as she knelt beside him. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling his entire body shaking through the thick armour that he wore. “Erend, please. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.”

Aloy listened to Erend struggle for breath, gasping as if he were drowning on dry land. “OK. Let’s try to breathe together, alright? Can you do that? Can you breathe with me, Erend?”

Erend nodded and brought his eyes up to hers, taking a long deliberate breath when she did. A few more deep breaths, and he had begun to calm down.

“It’s passing.” he said after several more long breaths. 

“Good. That’s good.”

As Erend sat in the snow, waiting for his body to return to normal, he wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his forehead on them. “It’s been a really, really long time since I’ve had one of those.” he mumbled into his lap. 

“It’s happened before?” Aloy asked gently.

“Yah, but not since…. not since we lived in Riverbend.”

“After your father died?” 

“Yah.”

Aloy stayed beside him, rubbing her hand along his back. He couldn’t feel it through his armour, but he was comforted by it all the same.

When Erend finally got to his feet, Aloy took his hand and began to steer him back towards the signal that she’d seen earlier.

“No, wait.” Erend said, pulling on her hand. “I need you to tell me where we’re going. If we’re going to leave the path, I need to know where…”

“The signal.” Aloy said, jumping in in the hopes of reassuring him. “It’s coming from a tallneck.”

_____________

Erend had never been this close to a tallneck before, and the sheer enormity of the machine baffled his mind. As with the metal devil, he’d only ever seen them from afar. He’d known that they were tall, but he never imagined that they were THAT tall.

“I have to get on top of it.” Aloy said as they approached the machine, crouching down into some spiky bushes for cover. 

“On top of it?” Erend asked, the colour draining from his face.

“Yes, that’s the only way to unlock the map. But once I’ve done that, we will have a map of Ban-Ur, and we won’t have to worry about getting lost anymore. But first, we need to take out those machines.”

Erend looked out over the valley below them, at the half dozen or so menacing-looking machines that roamed there. Some of the machines were familiar to him, a couple of them were not.  
“Alright. So, how do we do this?” he asked.

“Divide and conquer. We have to draw each machine away from the others, or attack them when their path takes them away from the group.”

“One by one. I like it.”

As they sat in the spiky bush, devising their plan, Erend could feel the earth shaking beneath his feet. The tallneck was passing nearby, plodding through the snow without regard for anything. The one nice thing about the thick snow, Erend realized as it passed, was that he could see the path that it took. Aloy had her focus, but now Erend could see what she could. He looked at the various machine tracks through the snow, the fluffy snow crushed under their feet as they walked, and pointed to the closest one.

“There, that one. The fire bellowback.”

“Yah, you’re right. That’s the perfect place to start.”

They carefully made their way from bush to bush, making sure that they remained well camouflaged. When they were within range of the bellowback’s trail, they stopped and crouched down.

“This is going to be fun.” Erend whispered. “It’s not often that I get to use my bow.”

“Well, fun or not, we don’t have much of a choice. If we try to go in face-to-face, we’ll attract too much attention.”

They waited patiently, watching as the bellowback slowly lumbered towards them.

“Wait for it…. Wait for it….” Aloy mumbled under her breath, as much to herself as to Erend. She slowly drew back the string of her bow, taking aim at the approaching machine. Her three flaming arrows trembled in anticipation of their release.

Erend drew back the string of his own bow, his single flaming arrow aimed directly at the blaze-filled sac on the bellowback’s hind quarters. He wasn’t as skilled as Aloy with a bow, but he was still an excellent shot. He also had the benefit of a much more powerful bow, his strength allowing him to draw a higher weight. Together, they would ensure that this bellowback had a very, very bad day.  
Erend released his arrow a split second after Aloy had released hers, the four flaming arrows streaking towards the unsuspecting bellowback. He watched as his arrow punched through the sac full of blaze, the entire creature exploding into an enormous ball of flames. It screeched and lurched about, soon succumbing to the fire that enveloped it. The other machines in the vicinity watched the spectacle with mild curiosity, but had returned to their normal trajectories before the fire had even gone out.

“Did you see that?” Erend whispered excitedly, doing his best to suppress a gleeful laugh. 

“Did you see THAT?” Aloy asked, immediately calming him with her serious tone.

Erend’s eyes followed her gaze, to the machine that trudged through the nearby snowdrifts. 

“I’ve never seen a machine like that before.” Erend whispered. 

“Neither have I. Let me see what my focus says.” 

As Aloy scanned the unfamiliar machine, learning what she could about it, Erend squinted to get a better look at it. It was enormous, its body thick and wide, and it was laden down with heavy metal plating. As far as Erend could tell, it didn’t run on either chillwater or blaze, its well-guarded canisters filled with a strange red liquid. And from this vantage point, it looked like it had weapons mounted between its shoulder blades.

“According to my focus, it’s a Grizzlyback. The red liquid in the canisters is to keep it from freezing in sub-zero temperatures. The liquid is flammable, but not explosive. Other than that, it doesn’t really have any weak points.” 

“Oh goodie. No weaknesses.” Erend said dryly. 

“That means that we’ll have to get down there and lay some traps.”

“I was worried that you were going to say that.”

Erend followed Aloy down the mountainside, gingerly making his way towards the grizzlyback. As they descended into the valley, they sunk further and further into the deep snow with each step, often sinking up to their knees. Both were dripping with sweat by the time they took refuge in a thick bush near the grizzlyback’s tracks.

“We had better get this right the first time. We won’t be able to run through this snow.” Erend said.

“We’ll throw everything that we have at it. Hopefully, it will be enough.”

“You know, I was thinking… we could lay out traps and wires in an area near its tracks, and draw the grizzlyback into it.”

“That would work.” Aloy said excitedly, her mind buzzing with ideas.

“Yah, it does.” Erend said quietly, pausing for a moment before continuing. “I saw a lot of that sort of thing during the war.”

“The Shadow Carja did that?”

“Mmmhmm. After they’d raided a village, they’d surround it with hidden explosives as they were leaving. When our soldiers would get there and try to get into the village to help anyone left alive, they’d set off the explosives. Happened a few times before we wised up.”

“Erend, that’s awful.”

“That’s far from the worst of it, Aloy.” 

Aloy laid her hand on Erend’s arm, quietly comforting him. He had seen so many terrible things, she thought, things that haunted him still. “I know.”

Erend gave his head a tiny shake, chasing the shadowy memory from his mind. “Let’s do this.” he said as he pulled a trap from his bag.

Aloy and Erend darted back and forth across a small area between two sets of bushes, setting traps and laying wires whenever the machine’s attention was elsewhere. Aloy used every type of wire she had, hoping that at least one of them would work against the massive machine. She eyed it warily – if these didn’t work, they would be in real trouble.

Once they’d laid every trap in their arsenal and strung every wire that Aloy had, they climbed carefully back up the mountainside and ducked down into a large clump of frozen grass. They sat there, tense and breathless, as they waited for the grizzlyback to slowly make its way to the spot they’d chosen.

“Aloy, if this doesn’t work… I want you to run. Just run, and don’t look back.”

“You know that I’m not going to do that, Erend.”

“You have to Aloy. Don’t worry, I’ll be right on your heels.” Erend said, the lie sour on his tongue. 

“I have always faced every threat, Erend. Today is no different.” she said, sighing before continuing. “And don’t think that I don’t know what you’re trying to do here.”

“Aloy…” Erend started, but quieted as soon as Aloy held up her hand. It was nearly time, and they needed to focus.

Camouflaged in the tall grass, both Erend and Aloy raised their bows as the grizzlyback lumbered along, the creak of their bowstrings the only sound. When it reached the small tree that marked the entrance to their trap field, they each let out a long, slow breath and fired.

The grizzlyback roared as the arrows exploded against its armour. Several pieces were blown off, including its shoulder mounted cannon, and it spun around as it searched for the threat. More arrows rained down upon it as it scanned, Erend and Aloy firing as quickly as they could. They knew that they only had a small window of time in which to do as much damage as possible.

Erend knew the exact moment the grizzlyback figured out where they were hiding. It charged towards them, crashing up the mountainside as it let out another bone-shaking roar. The deep snow that had been such a problem for them did not seem to slow it down in the least.

“Please let this work. By the FORGE, please let this work.” Erend muttered to himself as fear coursed through his veins. 

The first explosion shook the snow from the branches of every tree in the vicinity. The second knocked Erend onto his ass. He scrambled to his feet as the machine howled with rage, flames now shooting from the red canisters on its hips.

“MOVE!” Aloy screamed as she grabbed Erend’s arm, hauling him along as they retreated. They could hear explosion after explosion as they made their way to their fallback point and clambered up a large tree. As the grizzlyback continued to stumble towards them, setting off trap after trap, they began firing their arrows into its now exposed wiring.

“Go down already!” Erend screamed at the machine as it grew nearer.

The snow around the machine shrank back from the flames that were trying to consume it, but still it kept coming. Its red eyes never left the tree where Aloy and Erend were perched, focused as it was on destroying the threat.

“Erend, I…” Aloy started.

Erend stopped firing just long enough to grab her and kiss her, his lips stealing her words. “Don’t say it.” he said as he pulled away from her.

“But…”

“No.” he said, firing another arrow into the oncoming machine. “Don’t say it. I know what you were going to say and, just, don’t.”

Erend reached into his quiver, and grabbed one of his last remaining arrows. “Slag.” he whispered to himself as he shot it into the grizzlyback’s chest.

There was only one thing left for him to do. He knew that Aloy would be angry, might never forgive him for it, but he was going to do it anyway. If there was even the slightest chance… 

“EREND!” Aloy screamed after him as he jumped out of the tree. He rolled the moment his feet hit the ground, grabbing his hammer as he stood and faced the grizzlyback.

“You want me, you scorched out slag? Come get me.” he yelled, steeling himself against the pain he knew was coming.

The grizzlyback charged towards him, moving much faster than it should have been able to. He could hear the whistle of Aloy’s arrows as they cut through the air around him, but that noise was soon overshadowed by the sounds of the sparking wires of the grizzlyback. He could feel the heat from the flames on the machine as he swung, his hammer crushing the side of the grizzlyback’s head. 

The machine slammed into Erend, sending him flying. He landed on his back with a thud, his breath knocked out of him. He could smell the singed leather of his armour, smoking where it had come into contact with the burning machine. He quickly found his feet and faced the grizzlyback, which was charging towards him again. Man and machine roared in unison, neither willing to cede an inch. 

Erend planted his feet and swung his hammer with everything that he had. It ripped through the grizzlyback’s neck as the machine lunged and clamped down on his forearm, the razor-sharp knives in its mouth slicing through the metal plating on Erend’s armour. He pulled away, ignoring the blood that poured from his arm as the swung again, this time bringing his hammer down on top of the grizzlyback’s head. Erend’s enormous hammer caved in the machine’s metal skull, separating its head from the rest of its body. Erend stumbled back as the machine collapsed, finally succumbing to the damage.

After he’d watched the grizzlyback let out its final shudder and go still, Erend flopped onto his back and stared up at the sky. He panted, the adrenaline coursing through his veins not yet allowing him to feel the pain of his injuries. He watched for a moment as fluffy white clouds floated past, completely ignorant of the fight to the death they had just witnessed.

He heard someone scream his name, but it sounded like it was coming from far away, or maybe underwater. He wasn’t sure, it was hard to tell with the ringing in his ears. 

“EREND!” Aloy screamed again as she skidded to a halt next to him, spraying him with snow. “SAY SOMETHING!”

“Aloy?” he asked, still stunned. “Are you alright?”

“Am I alright?” she asked, smacking his armour. “You nearly get yourself killed, and you have the nerve to ask me…”

Erend looked at her, finally seeing her, and saw the tears sliding down her cheeks. “Heh, heh. Don’t worry about me, I’m ok.” he assured her.

“Are you sure about that?” she asked angrily, making a sweeping gesture with her arm.

Erend turned his head to the side, looking at the spot Aloy had indicated. His stomach lurched when he saw the crisp white snow, now soaked with the bright red of his blood. 

“Where did…” he started to ask, but stopped when Aloy held up his bloodied arm.

“Oh.”

“Yah, oh.” Aloy said, her voice still thick with anger. “Let’s take care of this.” she said as she pulled off his gauntlet. 

Aloy continued to fume as she tended to Erend’s wounds. He remained completely silent, even as the adrenaline left and the pain began to seep in to every cell in his body.

Once his arm had been cleaned, stitched and bandaged, Aloy reached into her medicine pouch and withdrew a small tin of salve. “Hold still. You have burns.” she said as she began to apply the salve to several spots on his head and neck. Oh right, Erend thought to himself as she worked, I thought I had smelled burning hair.

“Please don’t be mad.” Erend said softly as Aloy tucked the salve back into her medicine bag.

Aloy whipped around to glare at him, the look in her eyes more terrifying than even the grizzlyback had been. “Don’t be mad? Don’t. Be. MAD? Erend, I’m furious. What were you THINKING? I don’t know what could have ever possessed you to do that! Why would you do that?”

“You really need to ask me that?”

“Clearly, I do!”

Erend slowly sat up, groaning as every muscle in his body complained. “Aloy, I did it because it was the only way to keep that thing from hurting you. I’ve been through that once, and I would rather die than go through that again.”

“So, what, you decide to make me go through it instead? We HAD it, Erend.”

“No, we didn’t. We didn’t have it, and you know it. And I wasn’t about to sit back and watch that thing try to kill you Aloy. I thought I’d lost you once, and it nearly killed me. I’m not going to apologize for doing everything in my power to keep you safe.”

“I don’t need you to protect me, Erend.”

“I know. I KNOW that. But that’s never going to stop me from trying. It’s just… I can’t lose you Aloy. I’m not strong enough.”

Aloy let out a soft sigh, her anger ebbing away. “You’re so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

Erend shook his head. “Not when it comes to you, I’m not.”

Aloy gently wrapped her arms around him and kissed him tenderly. She knew how deep the river of his love ran, but it still took her by surprise from time to time. When she’d pulled away from him she looked into his eyes, which had that look of adoration that was reserved only for her. She tried to wipe some of the soot from his cheek, but only ended up smearing some of the droplets of blood that had splattered across his face as he was fighting. 

“Let’s set up camp, get you cleaned up.”

“Sounds good.” Erend said, moaning as he slowly got to his feet. He felt like he had had a mountain dropped on him. 

They didn’t have to search long before they found a spot that was fairly level, the snow not too deep. Aloy sat Erend down on a log as she set up the camp, grumbling at him every time he tried to help. He eventually gave in, sitting quietly as she worked.

Once Aloy had the tent set up and the fire going, Erend brought his stump and set it by the fire. Aloy busied herself filling their small metal pot with snow, setting it beside the fire to melt. She fetched their packs, which they’d stashed nearby before they’d begun their attack on the machines, and set them next to Erend. 

“I still have a few arrows left. I’ll go get us something to eat.” she said as she unhooked her bow from its spot on her back.

“Don’t got too far. We don’t know if there are any more of those around.” he said, wrinkling his nose at the still smoking carcass of the downed machine.

Aloy nodded reassuringly and darted off, the powdery snow crunching under her feet. 

While she was gone, Erend began to repair his armour. The grizzlyback had done quite a bit of damage to it, particularly to his gauntlet. He removed the glove and set it on his lap, then pulled his stitching kit from his pack. He wouldn’t be able to repair the gouges in the metal plates – he shivered, thinking of what would have happened had those plates not been there – but he could patch up the leather at least. It would give him something to do while he waited for the water to warm so that he could wash. Anything was better than sitting and thinking about how much every little piece of him hurt.

Aloy returned a few minutes later, two birds in hand. The birds had thick white feathers, and were plump and juicy looking. Erend quickly plucked them and slid them onto the spit to cook, while Aloy sat down beside him and began making arrows.

Erend and Aloy sat quietly by the fire, the pile of arrows and traps between them growing with each passing minute. They knew that there were still several machines that they’d have to kill before they could get to the tallneck, but none quite as fearsome as the grizzlyback had been. Still, they needed to restock their ammo supply before they could go back down the mountain and finish the job.

Aloy set out early the next morning, the sun having barely peaked above the horizon as she left the camp. She was just going to look, she’d told Erend, figure out their next move. But as she crouched down behind a large snowdrift and looked down into the valley, she knew that what she had said was a lie. The two machines that they’d killed had given her the opening that she needed, and she couldn’t hesitate. She had to go, now.

Erend was sitting by the fire, nursing a large mug of tea. He felt much better this morning, Aloy having rubbed him down with muscle balm before they’d gone to sleep. His cuts stung a little, but at least they weren’t too deep. He could still use his arm, anyway. And his burns were bothering him, but they weren’t much worse than any burn he’d gotten after a long day in the desert sun, so he wasn’t too worried about them. All in all, he could have come out of that fight much worse off than he was. A few new scars on his arm were nothing compared to what he had expected when he’d jumped out of the tree. 

His eyes followed Aloy as she made her way down into the valley. She’d convinced him to stay behind, telling him that she was only going to have a look. He didn’t like it, but he knew that she didn’t need him to help her come up with a plan. He’d be there when the fight started, though, of that he was sure.

He watched as she moved further and further down into the valley, sneaking this way and that as she hid herself behind trees and bushes, or clumps of grass and snow. 

“Ok, that’s far enough.” he muttered as she moved again. “I said, that’s far enough.” he said, a little louder this time, as he watched her dart into a wide swath of grass. What does she think she’s doing, he wondered to himself as he stood, the blanket that had been wrapped around his shoulders falling into the snow behind him. But as soon as he’d asked the question, Erend knew the answer. He knew, as surely as he knew that the sun was rising, he knew.

“Slag!” he cursed as he scrambled to put on his gauntlets, reaching for his hammer and bow as he began to run down the mountainside. 

Erend ran as fast as the deep snow would allow, but it wasn’t fast enough. He was only half way to Aloy’s position when he saw her make the jump. She had climbed to the top of a jagged boulder, machines prowling around the base of it. He wanted her to wait, begged for her to wait for him, but watched helplessly as she leapt. His stomach twisted as she flew through the air, the tips of her fingers catching onto a piece of the tallneck. He swallowed a scream as he saw her scrambling, the piece she’d grabbed on to obviously icy and slippery, but she didn’t fall. Erend couldn’t say the same, his knees giving out as he plopped down into the deep snow. He watched breathlessly as she climbed, his heart pounding in his ears. 

He managed a small, shaky breath when Aloy found solid footing on top of the tallneck. She was just a tiny dot, but his eyes never left her, couldn’t leave her. He both couldn’t watch, and couldn’t tear his eyes away if he tried.

A flash of blue light illuminated the valley, proof that Aloy had been successful. Erend calmed a little, knowing that they now had a map of Ban-Ur. They would be safe, or at least they’d no longer be lost. 

But that calm lasted only a moment. It disappeared in an instant as he watched Aloy step towards the edge of the tallneck and begin to plummet towards the earth.

“AAAALOOOY!” he screamed, his panicked cry echoing through the valley. He scrambled to his feet, not sure what he would do but sure that he would do SOMETHING. He began to run, snow flying in every direction as he plowed through it. In his mind, he could see her crumpled body, bloody and broken at the bottom of the mesa. This time, it would be her blood that would paint the snow, and they were too far from anywhere for him to do anything about it. 

It wasn’t until he was nearly to the valley floor that Erend noticed that Aloy wasn’t falling. He had stumbled over a branch buried in the snow, and when he pushed himself to his feet he saw it – a rope. She was hanging from a rope, sliding down. 

“She’s not falling. She’s not falling. She’s not falling.” he repeated to himself, before leaning over and vomiting his tea into the pristine snow beside him. 

He sputtered and gasped, his heart still racing. He wiped his mouth with the back of his glove as Aloy’s feet touched the ground, darting into the cover of a small bush. She was safe. She was safe.  
Erend finally found the strength to stand, his legs shaking but no longer threatening to give out, and began to walk across the mountainside to the spot where Aloy would emerge. As he walked, he took a couple of mouthfuls of snow, trying his best to rinse the sour taste from his tongue. His mind raced, not sure whether to be angry or scared, and he finally settled on a little of both. But when he saw her face, he was flooded with relief, and every other emotion was washed away.

“Aloy.” he managed to choke out as he crushed her into his chest. He curled himself around her, the feel of her next to him giving him the comfort that he so desperately needed.

Aloy hugged him back, squeaking out his name when his hug became too tight.

“I know that I said that I was just going to look, but when I saw an opening, I had to take it.” she said apologetically.

“You were falling. I saw you fall.”

It wasn’t until that moment that Aloy realized what she’d done. What it must have looked like to Erend. She was so used to rappelling that she never gave it a second thought, but from afar…

“Oh, no. Erend, I never even thought... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” she said as she hugged him again, understanding now why he was holding her so tightly.

They stood wrapped together for a moment more, comforting one another. When Erend finally let go, she took his hand and began to lead him back up the mountain towards their camp.

____________

The map that Aloy had gotten from the tallneck had really opened their eyes to the enormity of the task Avad had given them. Ban-Ur was huge, filled with tall mountains and wide lakes. The settlements of the Banuk were almost all in the northern part of the territory at this time of year, days away from where Erend and Aloy now camped. It would take a long time to reach them, but at least now they had a direction, a destination. They knew where they were, and that was all that they had really wanted.

Well, that and a bath. With the cold and the howling winds, it was much too dangerous to attempt to wash with anything other than a damp cloth, and even that was something they only tried when they were desperate. They walked past lake after frozen lake, mocking them with their icy water. They couldn’t jump in, they’d die in minutes if they tried, but oh how they wished that they could.

It was Erend who was the first to spot the steam.

“What’s that?” he asked, pointing at the mist rising in the distance.

Aloy tapped her focus, checking the map to narrow down their location. “It looks like a small lake. But that can’t be right.”

“Oh-ho, yes it can be!” Erend said excitedly. “Let’s hope that is what I think it is!” he said as he began to hurry towards the haze.

“Wait, Erend! What do you think it is?” Aloy called after him, quickening her steps to catch up.

The moment Erend crested the small hill that overlooked the lake, he let out a loud whoop. Not a single piece of ice floated in the steaming water, the snow around the lakeshore curled back from the water as if it were fleeing.

“It’s a forgelake!” Erend hollered, whooping again as he rushed down the hill.

“What’s a forgelake?” Aloy asked as she caught up to him on the lakeshore.

“It’s a lake of heated water. We have a few of them in The Claim.”

“Heated water? How hot?”

“It depends. I’ll check.” he said as he dropped his pack and knelt onto the rocks at the water’s edge. He took off his gauntlet and carefully dipped a fingertip into the water. When he didn’t immediately pull it away, he slowly submerged the rest of his hand into the clear water.

“It’s pretty hot, but nothing that we can’t handle.” he said enthusiastically, smiling up at her. “You ready for the best swim of your life?”

“Swim? Erend, we can’t. We’ll freeze the second we get out.”

“Not if we get ourselves set up first.” he said, shaking the water from his hand as he stood. “We start a big fire, set up the tent and get all of the blankets ready to go before we get in. Trust me, I’ve done this before.”

Erend chattered excitedly as they made their preparations. He was eager to be clean again, and he knew how much the hot water would help his sore and tired muscles. They’d spent days slogging through deep snow, his body complaining the entire time.

“OK, now here’s the part that’s no fun.” Erend warned as he stood on the lakeshore, his hand on one of the straps of his armour. The large fire crackling nearby did little to console him as he looked over at Aloy, who was watching him nervously.

“Ready?” he asked, laughing as she shook her head. He let out a loud shriek as he shed his armour, the ice-cold air assaulting his bare skin, and launched himself into the lake.

Erend popped to the surface, coughing and laughing. “Come on! It’s perfect!” 

Aloy stood on the lakeshore and watched Erend paddle around, an enormous smile on his face. 

“Are you coming in or what?” he called out to her, trying again to coax her into the water. 

Finally, Aloy nodded and began to undo the buckles on her armour. Erend treaded water, watching her squirm out of the layers that protected her from the cold. He laughed as her eyes bugged out of her head, the cold wind brushing against her pale skin.

“Hurry up and get in!” he said.

With a high-pitched squeal, Aloy shrugged off the last piece of armour and ran into the lake. She flopped forward, splashing Erend as she threw herself into the warm water.  
Erend watched her hair flowing through the water as she swam towards him, popping up for air once she was by his side. 

“You’re right, it is perfect.” she said as she wiped the water from her face. 

“We just have to be careful not to get too close to the middle. It gets hotter the deeper you get, or at least it does in the ones in The Claim.”

“What makes it hot, I wonder.” Aloy asked as she paddled in a large circle around Erend, who slowly spun in place as he watched her swim.

“I don’t know.” Erend said. “The Oseram have legends, of course, and the Banuk probably have theirs.”

Erend and Aloy swam until their skin was wrinkled, allowing the hot water to loosen every knot and tight muscle as they played. They scrubbed themselves until their skin and hair squeaked, then swam some more. They laughed as they made icy sculptures with their hair, the cold air freezing it into place. It wasn’t until Aloy noticed that the fire had started to burn down that they realized that it was time to get out.

“Let me guess, this is the other part that’s no fun.” Aloy said warily as they made their way to the shore.

“Nah. Just be quick about it, and you’ll be fine.” Erend said with a smile. “You know, some people say that this is the best part.”

“Are you one of those people?”

Erend looked at her and smirked, shaking his head. “Not a chance.”

They stood crouched down in the water, building up the nerve to run to their tent. Erend reached over and took Aloy’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

“Alright, here we go. One. Two. THREE!” he shouted as they vaulted from the lake, shrieking and screaming as they ran barefoot across the snow. They flung themselves into their tent and rolled themselves in their blankets, laughing and shivering. They quickly dried themselves as much as they could, then wrapped themselves in fresh, dry blankets and waddled out to the fire. 

Erend threw several more logs onto the fire, sparks rising through the trees above them. “There. See? Not so bad.”

Once they’d warmed up a bit, Aloy set their freshly cleaned underclothes to dry by the fire while Erend hung the wet blankets. They then cuddled back together by the fire, safe in their warm little cocoon of blankets.

“You know, we’d better be careful.” Erend said as he hugged Aloy to his side.

“Careful about what?”

“Well, I was just thinking. If anyone catches us here, we’re going to end up with a reputation. We’ll forever to known as the people who like to sit around beside lakes, naked.” 

Aloy laughed. “Kort and Thokar would need to have a pretty good excuse for wandering this far from home. But you’re right, we should probably get dressed.”

“Nah, not just yet.” Erend said, smiling as he snuggled a little closer.

By the next morning, the temperature had plummeted. Ice crystals floated through the air around them, creating rainbow-like rings around the sun. Every breath that Erend took hurt his lungs, every piece of exposed skin burning in the cold air. They quickly packed up their camp and started walking, steering themselves towards the nearest Banuk settlement, which was still two or three days walk away.

Despite the cold, Erend couldn’t help but admire the beauty of Ban-Ur. The world was blanketed in bright shimmering white, the fluffy snow sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight. Craggy mountains punched through the snow, reaching for the sky. There was thick green forest as far as the eye could see, an Oseram’s dream, and lakes in nearly every valley. As a child, he’d always hated winter – the arrival of winter had always meant having to leave Forgeview and his mother’s clan, but now he could appreciate its subtle beauty. He loved the eerie quiet that only the snow could bring, muffling every sound. He even loved the crispness in the air, every refreshing breath reminding him that he was alive. It was nothing like the heavy, wet air that he breathed in the jungles around Meridian, nor the dry air of the desert that always coated his tongue with a thin layer of dust. 

As they walked, Erend and Aloy encountered more and more new things. New machines, new animals, new birds and fish, new plants and trees. Even things that were familiar were different here. They’d seen white rabbits, but in Ban-Ur the foxes and owls were white too. It was a whole new world for them, and Erend was glad that they were able to discover it together. 

As they grew nearer and nearer to the area where the majority of the Banuk were settled, the trail became steeper and more mountainous. It left the lakes behind as it skirted around glaciers and rockfalls, going higher and higher. It made for more difficult travel, but it also provided an unexpected surprise.

They nearly walked right past it, so well was it hidden. A cave in the mountainside near the trail, just large enough to be comfortable. 

“What do you think? There’s still a couple more hours of daylight. We could either camp here, or press on.” Aloy asked as she peaked inside the cave.

Erend ducked inside and looked around. “I know that I should be saying that we should keep going. But honestly Aloy, a night here is exactly what we need. We could keep the fire lit all night, and I think that it would be safe enough for us to sleep without our armour on. By the forge, I need one night, just one, where I don’t have to sleep on a pile of metal. Think about it, warm and cozy, curled up together by the fire. What do you say?”

“I say that that sounds perfect.”

They dropped their heavy packs in the cave and quickly got to work. There was no snow to clear, nor a tent to set up, but there was still a lot of work that needed to be done before they were done for the day. They busied themselves gathering armload after armload of wood, eager to enjoy a roaring fire late into the night. They hunted for their night’s meal and gathered clean snow to melt for water. The moment their tasks complete, Erend and Aloy hurried back to the cave.

Erend sighed loudly as his heavy armour thunked onto the floor of the cave. He stretched out his tired muscles, groaning as they complained, and plunked himself next to the fire. The birds that they’d caught were already roasting over the coals, and his mouth watered at the smell of the tender meat that awaited him.

“I’m glad we decided to stay here. There won’t be much of a moon tonight.” Aloy said as she sat down beside him. 

“Even if there were, I’m still glad that we decided to stay.” Erend replied, rolling his shoulder to work out a kink.

Aloy reached for the roasting birds, turning them over the coals. The embers hissed with every drip of fat from the birds, tongues of flame flaring towards them. 

“We’d better keep an eye on these. I don’t want a repeat of the rabbit incident.” Aloy muttered.

“Rabbit incident?”

“On our way to the Sacred Lands. Remember?”

Erend chuckled. “Oh, right. They weren’t so bad. Just a bit crispy, that’s all.” 

“Erend, come on. They were so awful I could barely choke them down.”

Erend looked at her, her nose wrinkled in disgust at the memory. A smile slowly spread itself across his face, and he gave a little nod. “Yah, alright, they were awful.” he admitted. “But the part that came before the burnt rabbit was pretty nice, as I remember.”

Aloy reached over and took his hand, her fingers weaving through his. “Yah, it was.”

Erend brought her hand to his lips, gently kissing it. It was one of his favourite memories of that trip. That was the night that she had explored his scars, and he’d told her about each one. It had been innocent, and yet incredibly intimate at the same time. He had craved her touch so badly, and the memory of her fingers drifting across his skin still made his belly stir.

After they’d eaten and cuddled by the fire for a while, Erend began to yawn. It had been a long day of dragging heavy metal armour through deep snow, and he could feel the fatigue settling into his bones. Aloy smiled and kissed his cheek, getting up from their spot by the fire. 

“You get settled. I’ll go set the perimeter, be right back.” she said as she grabbed her tripcaster and headed towards the mouth of the cave.

Erend nodded, his eyes following her.

“Erend! Erend, you have to come see this!” Aloy called to him from outside. 

Erend rose quickly from his spot by the fire and wrapped his thick blanket around his shoulders, curious to know what had Aloy so excited. He walked to the mouth of the small cave, his heavy boots crunching the fresh snow as he emerged into the brisk night air. Aloy was waving him over, a bright smile on her face, and Erend could immediately see what it was that had caught her attention. The night sky was filled with bright green ribbons of dancing light, a truly breathtaking spectacle. Speechless, Erend slowly made his way over to where Aloy was standing. As he came up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to his chest as they both craned their heads skyward. There they stood, quietly watching the waving light, for what seemed like an eternity.

  


  


  


  


“It’s like a river of light. Have you ever seen anything so incredible?” Aloy asked softly, finally breaking the silence of the night.

“Yes.” Erend replied, just as softly.

Aloy twisted around to look at him over her shoulder. “You have? What was it?”

A tiny smile spread across his lips as he looked down at her. “You.”

“Come on, Erend, I’m being serious!” she gently scolded him.

“So am I. That breathless feeling that you have right now, that feeling like you can’t quite believe your eyes? You’ve made me feel that way, more than once.”

He smiled at the look she gave him. “You really don’t understand just how amazing you are, do you? How beautiful, how talented. Aloy, I feel that way every time I see you take down a dangerous machine by yourself. The first time I see you after we’ve been apart for a while. Whenever I see you dressed up for a special occasion. Whenever I see you not dressed at all…” Erend let out a little grunt and chuckled as Aloy elbowed him. “No, but seriously Aloy, I’ve told you this before. One of the reasons that I love you so much is that you take my breath away, you really do. It’s a feeling that I never get tired of – being completely dazzled by you.”

Aloy finally turned herself around to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She looked up into his adoring eyes and held his gaze for a moment before standing on her toes and kissing him gently.

When their lips parted, Erend laid his forehead on hers. “There, you see? You just did it again.” he whispered. 

Erend and Aloy had stayed a while longer to watch the lights in the sky, but the cold eventually forced them back into the cave. They cuddled together in their blankets by the fire, warm and snug, and quickly fell asleep. 

Erend wasn’t sure what woke him. It wasn’t morning yet, at least not if the pitch black outside the mouth of the cave was any indication. Annoyed, he grumbled a bit and shifted as he tried to get comfortable. He’d just closed his eyes again when he felt Aloy fidgeting beside him. He ignored it, thinking that she was just trying to get comfortable too, but then she fidgeted again. She rolled onto her side to face him.

“Erend?” Aloy said, her voice barely a whisper. “Are you awake?”

“Mmm.” he grunted.

“Erend, I…. I need you.”

“You need me to what.” he mumbled, almost indiscernibly. 

“I need you to make love to me.”

Erend opened his eyes and looked at her. She was biting her lip, her eyes burning into his with a look that could melt glaciers. His pulse quickened as she leaned over to kiss him, her mouth needy. A jolt of electricity shot through him and he was suddenly wide awake, reaching for her beneath the blankets.

As their lips twisted together, Erend slipped his hand into her leggings. Aloy moaned as his fingers slid down and buried themselves inside her.

“Forge, you are so wet.” he rumbled, his voice thick and low. He slowly withdrew his fingers and brought them to his mouth, sucking her honey from them. His whole body pulsed as Aloy pawed at his clothing, desperate to get into it.

Erend leaned into her, kissing her neck. “Tell me what you need.” 

“I need you to let it out. Show me the animal that lives inside you.” Aloy panted as she writhed beneath him.

Erend looked at her, his eyes filled with untamed lust. Oh, if she wanted it, he was going to give it to her.

He crushed her mouth with a bruising kiss, almost violent in its passion. With a lusty growl deep in his chest, Erend got to his knees and flipped Aloy onto her stomach, grabbing her hips and lifting them, setting her on her knees. With a feral smile on his lips, he tugged the back of her leggings down and buried his face between her legs. Aloy’s cries echoed through the cave as his tongue sought out the spots that made her scream. 

Erend had never loved the taste of anything as much as he loved the taste of Aloy. He allowed himself to indulge in her, his lips, nose, and chin soon shiny in the firelight. He lavished his attention on every little part of her, left no spot unexplored. 

Aloy called out his name, her body shuddering and shaking. Another surge of electricity passed through Erend’s body at the sound, and he could hold back no longer. He wanted her, and he wanted her NOW. 

“You want the beast? You want this?” he growled at her as he reached into his pants, pulling out his rock-hard dick. She looked over her shoulder at him and nodded, whimpering in anticipation.

Erend slammed himself into her, his fingers digging into her hips. He watched her backside bounce every time he buried himself inside her, and it only made him want to go harder, deeper, faster. He was relentless, his thirst neverending. He snarled as he drove into her, his lips curling back to bare his teeth. Aloy’s screams of ecstasy filled the cave, crying for him to give her more and ever more.

When he felt her body clenching down on him, pulsing, tugging on him, he lost control. A guttural roar escaped his chest as his orgasm slammed into him. He felt Aloy’s as it rocked through her body, heard her breathless gasps as he poured himself inside her.

Erend stayed behind Aloy for a moment, his hands still gripped tightly to her hips. He tried to catch his breath, beads of sweat pouring down his face, his heart racing. When he finally opened his eyes and lifted his head, he could see that Aloy was completely boneless in his hands, just as breathless as he was. He gently lowered her back down to the blankets, feeling himself sliding out of her. 

Aloy smiled at him as he laid down beside her, his hand sliding up her back. He grinned and let out a long, slow breath. “Wow.” he whispered. He leaned over to kiss her, softly, tenderly, a different man than he’d been only minutes before.

Aloy nodded and wiped some of the sweat from his brow, cradling his face in her hand. “Yah.” she breathed.

_______________

The dawn came bright and crisp, the stillness of the morning putting a smile on Erend’s face. He watched the clouds of his breath in the cold morning air as he waited for the water to boil for their morning tea, absentmindedly brushing the ice from his moustache. He looked over at Aloy, who was preparing some tea leaves for him, her mug of special tea already beside her. 

“You look happy this morning.” she said to him, a soft smile on her lips.

Erend’s smile grew wider. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, burrowing his face in her hair and letting out a happy growl. He peppered her with kisses, his cold moustache tickling her face, until his lips finally landed on hers and were allowed to linger. She melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Smiles spread across both of their faces as they kissed, and they giggled against each other’s lips. It was a beautiful day to be in love, Erend thought. 

They headed out, once again bound for the nearest Banuk settlement. They were a nomadic people, so Erend and Aloy were headed more towards the general area where the Banuk would be camped, rather than towards a specific point on the map. Once there, they would have to narrow their search by looking for signs of the settlement.

Erend and Aloy struggled through the deep snow, sinking to their mid-thigh with every step. It was exhausting, and they had to stop often to rest. Erend hoped that they would reach the Banuk soon – he wasn’t sure how many more days like this he could take.

It was just past midday when they heard it, echoing through the mountains. It was a sound unlike anything Erend had ever heard before, a long and lonely cry that sent a shiver down his spine.

“What was that?” he asked.

“It sounded kind-of like a ravager, but not quite the same. Maybe the ravagers here are different.” 

“Slag, I hope that we don’t have to fight any machines in this snow.”

They pushed on, keeping their voices low, alert for any signs of machines. They had walked for about an hour when they noticed a blur of movement in the nearby trees.

“There’s something out there.” Aloy said under her breath, slowly reaching for her bow.

When Erend reached for his hammer, his eye caught another blur in the trees. “There’s more than one.”

Erend shifted so that he had his back to Aloy’s. They couldn’t run, couldn’t dodge well thanks to the deep snow. And they were slowly being surrounded, by the looks of it. They were going to have to stand their ground and let the fight come to them.

“What ARE these things?” Aloy asked quietly. 

At that moment, one of the creatures chose to reveal itself. It emerged from between two spindly bushes, quiet as a ghost. It stood and stared at Erend, its thick grey fur waving in the breeze. Erend froze, not sure whether this animal posed any threat. It took a few tentative steps forward, sniffing the air. 

Two more of the creatures appeared next to the first, one of them black and much larger than the others. Erend could hear the soft crunch of snow behind him, guessing that still more had shown themselves. He didn’t dare look away from the ones in front of him, though, as alarms sounded in his head. These are dangerous, something inside him warned.

For a moment, everything was completely still. Nobody dared to move, nobody dared to breathe. Then, the large black one took a step forward. Erend shifted his weight a little, turning his head to face it, and instantly it reacted. It bared its long, pointed teeth, its menacing snarl making Erend grip his hammer a little tighter. A few of the others joined in, snarling and barking at Erend and Aloy.  
If there was a signal, Erend didn’t see it. The black creature launched itself towards him, the rest following a split second later. The animals rushed towards them, their mouths open and ready to bite. But Erend was ready for them, and he knew that Aloy was too. Whatever these things were, they were going to regret their actions.

Erend swung, his hammer smashing into the side of the large black creature, sending it flying. He could hear it yelp and whine as he swung at one of the grey ones that took its place, crushing its skull and killing it instantly. More still took its place, lunging and biting, snarling and snapping. Erend’s hammer whistled through the air as it cut through the onslaught, his armour protecting him from the teeth and claws of the attacking animals.

“How you doing back there?” he called out as the field around him began to clear.

“I’m good. You?”

“Good.” Erend said, grunting as his hammer connected with another creature. 

The ground around them was littered with downed animals, more and more joining the pile with each passing minute. The snow around them was washed in bright red, the blood of the animals spraying in wide arcs with every hammer swing Erend took. 

Finally, the attack stopped. They had either killed all of the animals, or those left alive had decided to flee, Erend wasn’t sure. Either way, the animals were gone and they were safe. Erend and Aloy stood, stunned, and looked around them. It was a shocking sight, but they hadn’t had any choice. The animals had left them no other options, and they had done what was necessary. 

“What do we do with them?” Aloy asked. “It’s wasteful to just leave them here.”

“We’ll take care of them.” came a voice from somewhere within the trees.

Erend jumped, surprised at the sound. He turned to where the voice had come from, and watched as a lean Banuk woman emerged from the shadows. She was obviously a hunter, as were the several other Banuk who quietly appeared behind her.

“We’ve been tracking these wolves most of the day. Thank you for harvesting them for us. They will provide us with warm furs and enough meat to last for several months.”

Erend nodded, but couldn’t think of anything to say. The Banuk had materialized just as suddenly as the animals – wolves, she’d called them – had. He’d thought that only Aloy moved that quietly, but obviously he’d been wrong. 

He watched with fascination as the Banuk hunters knelt next to each of the slain animals and gently laid their hands on it, thanking it for its sacrifice. They also thanked the Creator, lifting their faces to the sun as they prayed. It was only after each of the animals had been thanked that the hunters began to prepare them to take them back to the village. 

“Most outsiders would not last long against an entire pack of wolves. Most outsiders would never dare to wander this far into Ban-Ur. You are not most outsiders.” the Banuk woman said.

“No, we’re not.” Aloy replied, not unkindly.

“Come with us.” the woman said, waving at them to follow.

Erend and Aloy followed the Banuk hunters through the forest, the thick green trees obscuring the sun. 

“You do not have snowshoes.” the Banuk woman said to Aloy as they walked, once again stating the obvious.

Aloy looked at the hunter’s feet, and noticed the things strapped to her feet. They were flat and wide, made of machine wires strung between curved willow branches; and they allowed her to walk on top of the snow, rather than sinking in to it.

“Wow, I’ve never seen anything like those before. They remind me of…” Aloy started, drifting off as her mind sifted through the possibilities.

“Rabbit feet.” the Banuk hunter offered.

“Yes, that’s it. I’ll have to make us some when we get to camp, they would really help us in the snow.”

The Banuk woman smiled at Aloy, the first smile to cross her face since she’d found the two wanderers. No, she thought to herself, this one is not like the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Erend and Aloy are goofing around in the hot springs (or forgelake, as Erend knows it), they make sculptures with their hair. This is a thing, believe it or not. Here in Canada, there is actually a hair freezing contest: http://takhinihotpools.com/hair_freezing
> 
> As you are likely aware, the HZD: The Frozen Wilds dlc is coming out very soon, and will take us into Ban-Ur. It is a complete coincidence that my story includes Ban-Ur, as I had planned this months before the announcement. It is an even bigger coincidence that the first chapter that is set in Ban-Ur comes out only days before the dlc. I had hoped to get the entire Ban-Ur portion of my story posted before the dlc release, but it looks like I'm not going to be able to make that happen. I'm SO curious to see how close I've come to what the game developers had in mind for Ban-Ur and the Banuk. I've promised myself that I won't rewrite any of this once I've played The Frozen Wilds, so I hope that I'm not so completely off the mark that I'm in another universe entirely!
> 
> I've been so looking forward to writing about Ban-Ur, because it feels very familiar to me. As I said above, I live in Canada - one of the coldest parts of Canada, in fact (it's not uncommon for us to get down to -53 degrees. Celsius. No, that's not a typo.). So, I know a thing or two about freezing cold and blowing snow. I know all about how your lungs hurt when you breathe cold air, how ice crystals in the air create rainbows around the sun (we call them sun dogs), and about how the Northern Lights shimmer and dance. Every description that I've included in this chapter - from the rabbits turning white in winter to tricks to keep warm during winter camping - is brought from my own experience. As with Erend's clan back in The Claim, it's a part of the story where I've injected a little bit of 'me' into the HZD world.


	6. Lost & Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, wow. Ok, so I'm finally back! I can't tell you how sorry I am that it has taken this long, I truly am. This past winter was a really hard one, and my depression just kicked my ass. I can't tell you how many hours I sat in front of a blinking cursor, wishing that something - ANYTHING - would come out of my head. Nope, it would just sit there blinking, mocking me. But the sun is out again, and I'm feeling much better now. If you're still with me, thank you so much. Words cannot express how much I appreciate you.
> 
>  
> 
> A reminder that 90% of this was written before Frozen Wilds came out, and I have stayed true to my commitment not to change anything in my story based on FW (no matter how tempting... and gosh, it was tempting!). I am pretty proud of how close I came with the 'grizzlyback' though - if I had only thought to call it a Frostclaw, I'd be golden!

“The Creator provides.” Erend heard people saying as they entered the small Banuk camp. As the hunters walked, laden down with wolf carcasses, the villagers lifted their faces to the sky and gave thanks to the Creator. It was a strange thing to witness, Erend thought, so unlike Oseram traditions. 

“It’s a whole different way of looking at the world, isn’t it?” he whispered to Aloy as they walked.

Aloy nodded. She had been thinking exactly the same thing. But then again, every tribe’s traditions had seemed unusual to her at first.

The hunting party halted in the middle of the camp, carefully laying the wolf carcasses down onto the ground. A man, a shaman if his headdress was any indication, approached them.

“The Creator provides.” he said to the leader of the hunting party, kneeling beside the wolf she had laid at her feet and placing his hands gently on its head. He spoke softly in a language that Erend didn’t understand. A prayer or a blessing of some sort, he guessed. 

“You’ve brought outlanders into our werak.” the shaman said as he rose to his feet. 

“Yes.” the Banuk huntress replied. “These outlanders harvested the wolves we now carry. They have proven themselves capable and self-sufficient.”

The shaman eyed them warily. “Outsiders, able to survive in Ban-Ur? Unheard of. Why are you here?”

Aloy took a small step forward, her eyes locked on the shaman. “My name is Aloy. I have been sent by Sun-King Avad, of the Carja tribe, to be his ambassador among the Banuk people.”

Erend relaxed a little when he saw the twinkle of recognition in the shaman’s eye. So far, so good, he thought to himself. 

“We were surprised when Sun-King Avad accepted our invitation. Only one Carja has ever attempted to enter Ban-Ur, and he did not fare well.” the shaman said, smirking. 

“So I’ve heard.” Aloy said, smiling. “But I’m not Carja.”

“Not Carja? The Sun-King has sent us an ambassador who is not of his own tribe?”

“He sent the most qualified person for the job.” Erend piped up, his mouth working before his brain did. When he realized that he’d said the words aloud, he grimaced and bit his tongue. What was he doing, he wondered, Aloy had this handled. 

The shaman’s eyes shifted to Erend, sizing him up. “You. Are you Carja?”

Erend shook his head. “No, I’m Oseram. But I am Captain of the Sun-King’s personal Vanguard, and I accompany his ambassador.”

“Sun-King Avad sent us” Aloy started, hoping to prevent any further distrust “because he wants to show the Banuk people that he is very serious about building a peaceful relationship with you, just as he has built peaceful relationships with the Nora and the Oseram.”

The shaman tilted his head, contemplating Aloy’s words. Erend tried not to fidget as he stood waiting for the shaman’s verdict, knowing that the success of their entire trip depended on the outcome of this decision.

“Very well.” the shaman said finally. “In two days time, we will depart for the gathering of the shamans at the oshweken.” With that, he turned and left.

Without saying a word, the hunting party picked up their wolf carcasses and carried them towards a large tent at the edge of the camp, leaving Erend and Aloy alone.  
Erend looked at Aloy, a confused look on his face. “That was….strange.”

Aloy nodded. “Well, I guess that we should get ourselves set up. Looks like we’re going to be here for a couple of days.”

They walked over to the edge of the camp and selected an open area, dropping their packs. Erend had learned enough about the Banuk to know that the tribe valued survival above all else, so they would be required to take care of themselves. As with their stop in the Banuk camp in the Longroam, no help would be offered to them – and none was expected. Aloy and Erend were more than capable of seeing to their own needs. Erend busied himself with their tent while Aloy set out with her bow. She’d need to go out further than usual, if she had any hope of catching something for their nightly meal. This close to the camp, there wouldn’t be much game.

A few of the Banuk watched as Erend placed their packs inside the tent and began to clear a spot for their fire. He could tell, from the way that they were looking at him, that they hadn’t expected the outlanders to be able to fend for themselves. Given that the only experience they’d had with outsiders had been with a lone bumbling idiot, it wasn’t surprising. But it still bothered Erend a bit, to be the subject of their fascination – he had enough of that in Meridian. But at least the Banuk didn’t seem to be afraid of him, which was more than he could say for the Carja. 

Diplomacy, Erend soon learned, was much more difficult than one would think. At first, things were going well. He’d finished clearing a spot for the fire and gathered a few rocks to make a ring – everything in place so that a fire would be waiting for Aloy when she got back from hunting. The only thing left to do was gather a few armfuls of wood. He’d walked out into the trees, but hadn’t had to go far before he found a tree that looked to be long dead. He unhooked his hammer from its spot on his back and smashed the base of the trunk, disintegrating it with the force of the blow.

The first thing Erend noticed when he returned to camp with his wood were the horrified looks on the people’s faces. They were looking at him like he was a repulsive monster, something sickening and wrong. He stopped dead in his tracks, taken aback by their disgust.

“What?” he asked, not sure what he’d done to earn their ire.

Most of the people who had been glaring at him merely turned away, ignoring the confused look on his face. 

“Sacrilege!” one of the elderly ladies yelled at him. “You take from the Creator, but you do nothing to acknowledge the gift you’ve been given?”

Slag, Erend thought to himself, his mouth suddenly gone dry. He’d really stepped in it now. Erend just stood there at the edge of the woods, frozen with indecision. He hadn’t meant to offend them, but clearly he had. What should he do now? How could he fix this?

Oddly enough, it was the shaman who stepped in to help him. “Now, now, the boy meant no harm.” the shaman said to the crone. “Our beliefs are not his own, and we cannot expect him to follow all of our customs as we would.”

The woman began to protest, but the shaman held up his hands. “I will perform the blessing on behalf of the outlanders. I am sure that they are both thankful to the Creator, in their own way.”

The shaman made his way over to Erend, and laid his hands upon the wood piled in his arms. He spoke softly, again speaking words that were foreign to Erend. When he’d finished, he looked up at Erend and smiled.

“There. The Creator has been thanked for providing you with wood to keep you warm. All is well.”

Erend nodded to the shaman to show his appreciation, then made his way to their campsite. As he began to build the fire, he hoped that that was the last time he’d do something so dumb. He should have known better, he scolded himself. It was a lesson that he had learned when he first began living among the Carja – the different customs of different tribes needed to be acknowledged and respected. No one way was better or worse, right on wrong, only different. In his first days in Meridian, after the liberation, there had been a lot of tension between the Oseram and the Carja as the two tribes began to live side by side and discover one another’s customs. The learning curve had been steep, but it eventually settled into a new normal. As the flames began to flicker, Erend hoped that Aloy was having better luck.

When Aloy emerged from the woods a while later, with three large fish strung over the end of her spear, she was not alone. A young man, about her age, was walking beside her, and Erend couldn’t help but notice the way that he was looking at her. The two of them were chatting, and if his face hadn’t given it away, his overenthusiastic laugh would have.

“Erend.” Aloy said as they approached “I’d like you to meet Tukk. Tukk, Erend.”

Tukk offered his hand, although he had a wary look in his eyes. Erend smiled and took it, a little more firmly than was strictly necessary. “Tukk, pleasure to meet you.” he said, his smile growing ever so slightly wider when he noticed the tiny grimace that flashed across Tukk’s face.

“Well…” Tukk started, twisting his hands together as he searched for something to say. “I suppose I should let you take care of those fish…”

“OK. Thanks for showing me to the river.” Aloy replied with a smile. She went over to the fire and began to warm her hands, completely oblivious to the looks that Tukk kept throwing over his shoulder as he walked. It wasn’t until Tukk noticed Erend watching him that he finally scuffled away.

Erend couldn’t help but shake his head and smile. He had been in Tukk’s place once, smitten with the beautiful redhead, and Aloy had been just as clueless then as she was now. He had shamelessly flirted, and gotten nothing but a confused look from her. Erend was sure that even if he told Aloy that the young man fancied her, she’d simply huff and tell him he was imagining things. It was sweet, really. The most beautiful woman that he’d ever seen, completely unaware of her beauty or the effect it had on others. And to think, her beauty was probably the least incredible - or intimidating - thing about her. Erend shook his head again. It was truly a wonder that a man like him had found a way to win her heart. 

Erend grabbed the fish from the snowy ground beside Aloy’s feet and began preparing them for cooking. Her hands now warmed, Aloy reached into her bag and pulled out some long willow branches and wire, and began to fashion a snowshoe.

It wasn’t long after they’d finished eating their fish that the snow began to fall. They had gone for a short walk to test out the new snowshoes that Aloy had made, the moon lighting their way as they walked through the trees. Big, fluffy white flakes fell gently around them, some getting caught in their hair and eyelashes. Erend smiled as he reached over and brushed some of the snow from Aloy’s hair before it had a chance to freeze. By the forge, he thought as his fingers ran through her hair, she truly was a sight to behold.  
Aloy glanced down at his fingers and smiled back at him. She leaned into him and planted a soft kiss on his lips, humming happily when his hand tangled into her hair. In this quiet world of softly falling snow, there was only the two of them, and that was all Erend ever needed.

The snow continued to fall throughout the night, and come morning a thick new blanket covered every surface. The morning sun sparkled against the fresh snow as Erend emerged from their tent, like stars twinkling in the sky. It was late, Aloy and Erend having allowed themselves the luxury of sleeping in. This was to be their first easy day in a long time, and they’d wanted to revel in it after so much hard travel.

But as Erend stretched out his tired muscles, the crisp air burning his lungs as he yawned, he realized that they didn’t really have a plan for the day. They wouldn’t be leaving for the… what had the shaman called it? Osh-something-or-other? Whatever it was, they wouldn’t be leaving for two days. And beyond hunting for their food and gathering wood for their fire, they didn’t really have anything to do. 

He wandered over to a large fire that burned nearby, a community gathering place by the looks of it. But from the looks on the faces of the Banuk, they weren’t interested in getting to know him better. It was a look that he knew well, one that he’d seen on the faces of the Carja when he’d first moved to Meridian. Nevermind that it was the Oseram who had essentially won the war for them – an outsider was an outsider, plain and simple. He’d bled for that city, and the city repaid him by treating him like scum. But, eventually, they’d warmed up to him and the other Oseram. The Banuk would too, he told himself. Sooner or later.

Erend turned and headed back towards their tent. There was no sense in trying to push himself onto the Banuk if they didn’t want him there, ambassador’s guard or not. He saw a flash of red as Aloy ducked out of the tent door. Against the blindingly white snow, she looked like a blooming flower as she reached towards the sun. 

The powdery snow muffled his footsteps as he made his way towards her, and with her back to him she didn’t seem to notice that he was there. Smirking to himself, he bent down and scooped up a big handful of snow, crushing it into a ball between his palms. 

“Erend Vanguardsman, what do you think you’re doing?” Aloy called over her shoulder.

He stopped dead in his tracks, his arm freezing just as it was about to launch. “How did you….?” 

“I love you, but you are about as subtle as a herd of behemoths. I heard you coming before I left the tent.” she said, turning towards him.

“But did you see this coming?” he hollered, chucking the snowball at her like it was a bomb about to explode.

Aloy dodged, the snowball barely missing her shoulder. As she rolled, she grabbed a handful of snow herself. She lobbed it just as she found her feet, the cold snow exploding againt Erend’s chest and flying up into his face.

He sputtered and stumbled back in shock, shaking his head to rid himself of most of the snow in his beard. He bit back a smile when he looked up and saw her smirking at him. “OK. Alright. If it’s a war you want...”

Aloy dove behind a shrub as another massive snowball sailed past her, this one narrowly missing her head. She was grinning from ear to ear, her laughter mingling with Erend’s in the wind.

“Don’t start something that you can’t finish, Oseram!” she called out, hunkering down again as another snowball shook the bushes around her. 

“Ha, missed me! Again!” she taunted as she popped out from behind her cover, getting ready to whip her snowball. 

She had barely cleared the top of the shrub when an enormous snowball smacked her in the shoulder. It disintegrated on impact, icy snow flying in every direction. Aloy shreiked as bits of snow slid down into the layers of her armor, frozen fingers against her warm skin.

“Did you like that?” came Erend’s voice from behind a large rock. “I call that one the double-tap. Ersa fell for it every time!”

Aloy stilled for a moment, her breath catching in her throat. Rost had always been so serious, his idea of playing in the snow was teaching her winter survival skills. But Erend had had Ersa, and Aloy knew that their winters in Riverbend had been long and lonely. Of course they had played in the snow.

“Ok, ok! I yield! I yield!” Aloy said, waving her arms above her head.

“So easily?” Erend asked, his curiosity peaked. He squinted at her, his eyes suspicious.

“Well, it’s not every day that I meet a warrior who can wield winter like a weapon!” she said as she emerged from her hiding place.

“OK, now I know something’s up.” 

“No there isn’t.”

“Aloy. Come on, I’m not as smart as you but even I’m not THAT dumb. You never give up.”

“It’s nothing.”

“No, it’s not nothing. Aloy, what’s wrong?”

“It’s just… for me, snow has always been an obstacle, something to overcome or to get through. I never thought that it could be fun.”

Erend looked at her, confused. “I don’t understand. Do you mean that you’ve never played in the snow before?”

Aloy looked up at him, and sheepishly nodded.

Erend pulled her into his arms and hugged her as tightly as their armor would allow. “I’m so sorry Aloy, I had no idea.” he whispered into the crown of her hair.

“It’s not a big deal, it’s just not something that Rost had time for.”

“So, hang on, that means….” Erend started, an idea forming in his head. A smile exploded across his face as he grabbed her hand and began to drag her towards the pristine snow in the nearby trees. 

Aloy had a puzzled look on her face, her arms crossed in front of her, as she watched Erend hop through the snow.

“Um, what are you doing?” she asked as he led her into a tiny clearing tucked behind several large trees.

“Oh, I just don’t like it when I leave too many tracks. It ruins the effect.” he replied, waving at her. “Come on, follow me.”

Aloy jumped as far as she could, leaving as few steps as possible. When she got close to where Erend was standing, he held up his hand. “OK, that’s good right there.”

The quizzical look on her face told him all he needed to know.

“OK, so Ersa’s favourite thing to do, when we were little, was to make Glinthawks.”

“Erend, you’re not making this clearer.”

“I know, I know. Just….watch.”

Erend laid down in the snow, his legs tight together and his arms against his sides. He turned to look at Aloy, shooting her an encouraging smile, then began to wave his arms back and forth. His legs kicked out, pushing the powdery snow aside. The tinkle of Aloy’s laughter made his smile grow wider, his arms and legs flapping unselfconsciously.

“You look ridiculous.” Aloy stated matter-of-factly.

“I never said I didn’t.” he replied, his body stilling. He cautiously got to his feet, taking care not to wreck his snowy creation. “But look.”

Aloy looked down at the spot where Erend had lain. The shape of a glinthawk, its wings spread wide, popped out of the snow in front of her. Its tail flared behind it, the shape frozen in flight. Erend leaned down and drew a triangle on top of where his head had crushed the snow, its beak a perfect finishing touch.

“Now you.” Erend said softly, his hand finding its way to the small of her back.

Aloy laid herself down on the ground and mimicked Erend’s previous movements. “This was Ersa’s favourite?” she asked quietly as she pushed the snow around.

“Yah. She’s always loved glinthawks. I think that, in her eyes, they were free. They could go where they wanted, and nobody could touch them…” Erend said somberly, his voice drifting off. He gave his head a little shake. “Anyway, she always dragged me out, after every fresh snow, and we would make glinthawks.”

Aloy smiled at the thought of Erend as a boy, making shapes in the snow. She slowly got to her feet and stood beside him to admire their work. A pair of birds, caught in mid-flight, stood before them; the tips of their wings almost touching. She took his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, then they turned and headed back towards the village.

______________

As they strolled back into the werak, Aloy and Erend could see that they were not the only ones who had seen the fresh snow as an opportunity for a bit of fun. Several of the Banuk children had scavenged large, flat pieces of metal and were using them to slide down one of the mountainsides that framed the village. Laughter and shrieking could be heard echoing throughout the valley as the children careened down the hill, their metal sleds carving wide gouges in the snow.

“That looks like fun.” Aloy said to one of the Banuk as they came to stand beside him.

“Oh, it is. By the way, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Tavani.”

“Aloy.” she replied. “And this is Erend.”

Tavani chuckled. “Yah, I figured that. I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry if my people have been less than welcoming, we’re not really used to outsiders around here.”

“I’m used to it.” Aloy said, failing to notice the puzzled look that passed over his face. 

“Well, anyway, I’m glad that…..” Tavani started, before drifting off as his attention was caught by something in the distance. “What are they doing?” he asked no one in particular.  
Erend looked in the direction of Tavani’s gaze, but couldn’t immediately tell what Tavani was looking at. All Erend could see was two small children dragging a long piece of metal up the mountainside.

“They know that they’re not allowed to slide on that hill.” Tavani said, panic filling his voice. “HEH! STOP! GET DOWN FROM THERE!” he yelled towards them, gesturing madly.

Tavani’s panicked words immediately caught the attention of the other Banuk nearby, and one by one they began to scream and yell as they noticed the tykes making their way up the hill. Several of them began to run towards the hill, waving their arms at the children.

But the children were too far away to hear the adults’ cries. The Banuk watched in horror as their precious little ones climbed aboard their metal sled and began to slide down the hill.

Erend stood as still as a statue, sure that there was danger but not yet sure what it was. Aloy, on the other hand, had obviously figured out the problem. Her eyes darted from side to side as she assessed the situation, then she dropped her weapons and took off like a shot towards the river. Erend ran after her, trusting that she would lead him to where they would be needed.

The two small Banuk, clinging to their makeshift sled, were quickly picking up speed. They were losing control on the steep incline, having been used to the gentle slope of the hill that the children normally used. As their sled bounced over rocks and branches buried in the snow, their terrified wails carried across the valley. When they hit the edge of a small embankment, their sled veered to the side and headed straight for the ice-covered river below.

Aloy made it to the river’s edge just as the sled began to skid across the ice. Erend could hear the creaking and groaning of the ice as the sled began to slow, the weight of the metal too much for it to take.

When the sled had finally come to a stop, the children tried to scramble towards the safety of the shoreline. But their little legs couldn’t carry them fast enough, and the ice crumbled beneath their feet, plunging them into the icy river.

Aloy dove into the water a second later. Erend could see her through the ice, reaching for the children. She grabbed one by the back of his coat, and managed to find the outstretched hand of the second. It was then that Aloy realized her problem – the river was slowly pushing them away from the hole in the ice where they’d fallen in, and without her hands she couldn’t swim back towards it. The three of them were being pulled along underneath the ice, and there was nothing that she could do about it.

Luckily, Erend had realized this also. He ran along the riverbank, racing against the river’s current. When he thought that he was far enough ahead of Aloy, he ran onto the ice, grabbing his hammer as he ran. Praying that the ice would hold him, he heaved his hammer over his head and smashed it down, shards of ice slashing against his face. Again and again he hammered the ice, leaving a gaping hole at his feet. The ice beneath him complained as he got to his knees beside the hole, threatening to swallow him too, but he held his breath and hoped that the gods would be on their side.

When Aloy, the two children still tucked tightly beneath her arms, came into view, Erend plunged his arms into the bone-chilling water and grabbed her. The weight of the three of them in their waterlogged clothes nearly pulled him in, the river not ready to relinquish its prize. Gritting his teeth, he fought the pull of the river’s current against them and hauled them up out of the water, toppling over backwards with a sputtering Aloy and two crying children landing on top of him. The ice cracked loudly beneath them, threatening to send them back into the river’s icy grip.

“GO! GO!” Erend shouted, pushing at Aloy’s back as she jumped to her feet. Her wet boots found no purchase on the ice, sending her crashing back down. The children were bawling now, beyond terrified, as the ice continued to crack.

Erend scrambled to his feet and flung his arm around Aloy’s waist. He ran as fast as he could towards the shore, the web of cracks growing beneath his feet with every step. With each step, he prayed that it wasn’t his last.

He dove for the the shoreline, launching all four of them into the air as he lept for safety. They landed with a thud on the rocky bank, knocking the air out of his lungs. He laid there for a moment, dazed, as members of the Banuk tribe hurried around them. The children were scooped up into loving arms, their parents shaking with fear at the narrowly avoided tragedy. Erend and Aloy were hauled to their feet by teary-eyed Banuk, who could do no more than hug them and promise that the song of their bravery would never go unsung.

But Erend wasn’t worried about Aloy’s song, because she was not yet out of danger. He looked over at her, her lips quickly going blue, and knew that he needed to get her dry – and he had no time to lose.

“You.” he commanded, pointing to one of the men “put some stones on the fire to heat. When they’re warm enough, wrap them in leather and bring them to our tent. You.” he motioned to a young Banuk girl “Bring her weapons.”

He couldn’t give voice to the terror in his veins, couldn’t give himself time to look at the droplets of water flying off of her armor as she shivered, nor listen to the chattering of her teeth. He couldn’t let himself notice how quickly her skin was turning a deathly shade of blue. This was just like any battlefield emergency, and as Captain, he knew what he needed to do. He needed to focus if he was going to help her. 

Erend scooped Aloy into his arms, cradling her againt his chest, and rushed towards their tent. The villagers were hurrying after him, all of them more than aware of the threat to Aloy’s life. One of the villagers began to bark orders, sending people scurrying to gather firewood and fresh blankets.

The moment he’d ducked into their tent, Erend laid Aloy down and began stripping off her wet clothes. Every layer was drenched, drawing precious warmth from her body with every passing second. He flung each piece aside as he pulled it from her body, not caring where it landed. Once she was naked, he piled blankets on top of her and began stripping his own clothing off. 

He was nearly naked himself when one of the ladies from the village poked her head through the tent flap.

“I have more…Oh dear!” she exclaimed when she nearly ran into Erend’s bare back.

“Give them to me.” he barked, taking the blankets from her outstretched hands.

The lady looked around the tent, taking in the scattered mess of Aloy’s wet clothes. “I didn’t think that an outlander would know to do that.” she said approvingly.

“I’ve gotta get under those blankets with her, so if you don’t mind…” Erend started, hooking his thumbs into the waist of his pants. The lady’s eyes went wide. She gave him a quick nod and left the tent as quickly as she’d come in.

Erend finished getting undressed and slid under the blankets beside Aloy. He gasped as he touched her skin, unable to believe how cold she was. He wrapped himself around her, grimacing as he began to shiver. He could feel Aloy’s body drawing the warmth out of him, and all he could do was hope that it was enough. 

____________

It had taken hours for Aloy to warm up enough that she had stopped shivering. The Banuk had shuttled back and forth, bringing hot soup and blankets that had been warmed by the fire. Someone had taken their wet clothes away to dry, while another had brought cooking pots filled with red-hot stones to warm their tent. Every single Banuk villager who had come into their tent had, without exception, thanked them for their bravery and quick thinking.

Being lauded as a hero was not new to either of them, but neither Erend nor Aloy had ever been very comfortable with the title. Self-sacrifice. Doing the impossible. Risking their lives for others. It was what they were good at, and neither of them were the type of people to sit back and let others suffer and die, not if they could do something to stop it.  
As Erend had lain beside Aloy, watching her skin slowly turn from blue to pink, he had reflected on their shared bravery. It was something that he had always admired about Aloy, her fearlessness, but he had never really given any thought to his own willingness to stand in the face of death. It was just something that he’d always done, and because he’d always stood shoulder to shoulder with Ersa and his Vanguard family, he’d always seen it as something that everyone did. The strong protected those who couldn’t protect themselves.

But then he cast his mind back, thinking of the times he had bourne the brunt of Awl’s wrath, when he had been the one in need of protection. It had been Ersa who had been his savior during those dark days. He thought of all of the members of his so-called clan in Riverbend, the aunts and uncles who stood silently by, and he realized just how rare people like he and Aloy truly were. Maybe it was this, he wondered, that had drawn them to one another. This understanding, this shared responsibility. He’d never liked to watch Aloy face a threat, but he didn’t question why she felt the need to face it.

Erend’s pensiveness was broken as Aloy began to stir. He hugged her tightly to his chest and kissed the top of her head, thankful that she was finally out of danger.

“Heh. Welcome back.” he whispered softly into the crown of her hair.

“Heh.” she replied, just as softly. She wrapped her arm around him and snuggled closer. 

“How are you feeling?” Erend asked, gently rubbing her back.

She let out a little contented sigh, a gentle smile finding its way to her lips. “Much better now, thanks to you.”

“You scared me, you know.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. But Erend?”

“Yah.”

“Thank you for saving me.”

“You know that you don’t ever have to thank me for that. I will always be there for you. Always.”

“I know, but still.” She looked up at him. “Thank you.”

He hugged her again, her tiny body swallowed up by his massive arms. 

“Well, I guess that nobody could ever say that life with me is boring.” Aloy said, trying to inject a lightness into the heavy moment.

Erend chuckled and shook his head “No, no one will ever accuse you of that, that’s for sure.”

“I love you, Erend.”

“I love you too, so so much.” 

They laid there for another few minutes, thankful to have triumphed in the face of death once again. It wasn’t until Aloy’s stomach growled that they reluctantly admitted that it was time to get dressed and venture outside.

The moment Erend’s head popped out of the tent, a cheer rose up from the villagers gathered around the fire. The noise grew as more and more of the Banuk noticed them emerging from the warm safety of their tent. Many of them began to rush over, surrounding Aloy and Erend in an attempt to be among the first to hug them, shake their hand, or pat them on the back. Erend felt Aloy tense up beside him, uncomfortable with the onslaught of wellwishers. And just as he had in Mother’s Heart, so many months ago, he took it upon himself to clear the way.

“Room, people. Give us some room.” he shouted over the crowd, waving people away with his arms. The Banuk, thankfully, were not like the Nora in that they weren’t interested in what they could get from Aloy; and seeing the discomfort on her face quickly backed up.

“Apologies, Aloy, we meant no harm.” a gentle-looking older man said. The others around him nodded as he continued “we wanted only to honour your bravery and thank you for what you did for our little Ashlu and Kimiuk.”

“I understand.” Aloy said, smiling apologetically. “It’s just that I’m not used to having a lot of people around me.”

“Ah, yes. Well, as a Banuk, I can understand that completely.” the man continued. “I traveled to your Meridian once, to trade. It was an awful, hot place with entirely too many people. It would seem that both of us are more solitary creatures. Well, know that our entire village thanks you, both of you” he continued, turning to Erend and smiling “for your actions today. We have prepared a feast in your honour, and we hope that you can join us by the fire as we celebrate the safe return of all four of you.”

“Thank you, we would be honoured to join you.” Aloy said, every bit the ambassador that Avad had known her to be.

As the crowd around them dispersed, Aloy began to relax. She took Erend’s hand and squeezed it, silently thanking him for once again having her back. 

It was only Tukk who hung back. It was obvious to Erend that he was too intimidated by Aloy to speak, but that he had something that he wanted to ask.

“Heh Tukk. What’s up?” Erend asked nonchalantly.

“Oh, um, ah…” Tukk stammered, trying to find his words. 

Erend couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “Was there something that you wanted to ask Tukk? You look like a man with something on his mind.”

Tukk cleared his throat and tried again. “Yah, I was wondering how, ahhh” he fidgeted a bit, then steeled himself and looked up at Aloy. “How you knew? When Ashlu and Kimiuk were sliding down the hill, how did you know where to go?”

Aloy smiled. “Oh, it was easy. It’s just like shooting an arrow when you hunt. Most people, when they try to shoot a rabbit for example, will shoot at the spot where the rabbit is at that moment; when what they should be doing is shooting at the spot where the rabbit will be when the arrow reaches it. That’s all I did. I looked at the slope, and figured out where the sled would be when I reached it. The trick is to go where it’s going, not where it was.” 

Even Erend had to admit that he was amazed by her answer. It had taken her only the briefest moment to figure out where that sled was going to end up. She had obviously had to take into account the angle of the slope, the weight of the sled, the obstacles, everything. Erend knew that Aloy was the smartest person he’d ever known, but she still had a way of surprising him sometimes.

Aloy began to guide Erend towards the community fire, Tukk quietly trailing behind them. 

“Well, I think that it’s safe to say that the Banuk have accepted us.” she whispered.

“Looks that way.” Erend agreed. “If only it hadn’t taken almost dying to do it, that would have been great.”

Aloy laughed. “Yah, well, it worked. At least we won’t have to go home empty handed.”

As they took the seats of honour beside the fire, Erend and Aloy were wrapped in ceremonial blankets embroidered with colourful Banuk designs. The shaman sang a beautiful song, praising their courage, their strength and their quick thinking. They had come from away, he sang, but they proved that they belong. 

Erend couldn’t help but smile as the shaman sang. He never dreamed that anyone would ever sing a song like that! He had been so worried that he would ruin Aloy’s chances at being a good ambassador, but all of his missteps had been forgiven, all previous mistrust evaporated. The Banuk had embraced them fully, and it was a wonderful feeling.

After the shaman’s song had ended, the feasting began. Word had obviously gotten around, because the villagers kept a respectful distance and each took their turn in coming over to thank Erend and Aloy for saving the day.

One of the villagers, who introduced herself as Anora, was among the last to come shake their hand. 

“I was the one who dried your armour by the fire.” she said, after the usual pleasantries had been exchanged. “And I must say, Erend, I’ve never seen armour like yours. It’s so heavy, I needed help to lift it! But when I looked a little closer, I could see that it had been made by a master. You should be very proud.”

“I am.” Erend replied with a smile. “Akoulina is our Vanguard armoursmith, and she is the best armoursmith to have ever come out of The Claim. I’ll be sure to pass along your admiration.”

“Please do. But I have to ask – the gouge on your glove…?”

“Oh, that.” Erend chuckled, shrugging. “I got into it with a grizzlyback.”

Anora blanched. “A grizzlyback? You’re joking, right?”

Erend shook his head. “I wish. No, the two of us took it down, but it put up a pretty good fight.”

A few of the other villagers had overheard Erend talking, and came over to hear the incredible story of Erend and Aloy, vanquishers of a mighty grizzlyback. Erend indulged them, and the stories of their adventures lasted long into the night.

_____________________

The morning of their departure dawned bright and crisp. Ice clumps slowly formed on Erend’s mustache and beard with every breath he took, and his hands were stiff as he hurried to pack up their tent. The shaman, who would be leading the way, stood at the edge of the camp, shifting back and forth impatiently. Erend’s couldn’t help but notice that the man carried almost no supplies – no pack, no tent, only the clothes on his back and a spear. How he would get to the edge of the valley without gear, let alone all the way to their destination, was a mystery. Erend turned his attention back to his task, not wanting to delay their departure any longer than necessary.

Their bags packed, Erend and Aloy walked over to where the shaman was waiting.

“Alright, we’re ready to go. No pack for you?” Aloy asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“It’s not needed.” the shaman replied.

“But where will you sleep? You don’t have a tent.” Aloy asked, not willing to let the matter drop so easily.

The shaman turned and began to walk, Erend and Aloy quickly falling into step behind him. “I have no need of one.” 

Erend had no idea what the shaman meant, but he figured that he’d be finding out soon enough, so he didn’t ask the shaman to elaborate. He was a man of few words, clearly, and what words he did speak usually weren’t all that helpful in clarifying a situation. 

The trio walked in complete silence from then on, the crunch of the snow beneath their snowshoes the only sound. Hours they walked, the shaman falling into an almost meditative trance as his feet carried him up and over the mountain. Erend had had quiet walks before, but as the sun began to sink towards the horizon he couldn’t stand it any longer.

“These snowshoes sure do make life a lot easier.” he said, shattering the stillness around them. The shaman shot him a surly look, unimpressed with the disruption. Erend shrugged apologetically, although he wasn’t entirely sure what he was supposed to be sorry for. He looked over at Aloy, who was covering her mouth with her hand in an attempt to hide her grin.

Erend fell silent again, and resigned himself to listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees and the crunch of snow beneath their feet. He was immensely relieved when the shaman finally held up his hand to indicate that they would be stopping for the night. He shrugged off his pack and set to work clearing a spot for their tent. Erend watched the shaman out of the corner of his eye as he worked, curious to know what he planned to do. 

The shaman walked over to a particularly large drift of snow that had built up between some of the enormous trees that towered over them. He tested it with his spear, poking at it, then nodded to himself. The shaman flipped his spear around, so that the pointed tip was towards the sky. On the opposite end of his spear was lashed a small machine plate, making the butt of his spear into a shovel. The shaman bent and began to dig into the side of the snow drift, a small hole at first, then expanding the width as he dug deeper into the snow.

“You’re digging a cave.” Erend said matter-of-factly, when he realized what the shaman was doing.

“It is known as an adjala among the Banuk, but yes, I suppose that you could call it a cave.” the shaman replied.

Erend watched in fascination as the shaman dug a space large enough to lay out comfortably. He thought back to his time in Longlake, to the small camp that he and Ersa had shared when she had first joined the freebooters. They had spent so many night shivering during the long winters of The Claim, but it had always been a little warmer inside their tent once the snow had built up alongside it. He imagined that the shaman’s little snow cave would be nice and cozy.

As they set out the next day, Erend feared that it was going to be another long, quiet day of walking. His mind twisted around, trying to come up with something to think about to pass the time. He had spent the better part of the previous day thinking about training drills and fighting techniques, anything to keep his mind on constructive and positive things. He worried that, left to its own devices, his mind would wander towards its familiar dark territory. Which is why he thanked his lucky stars when the shaman finally broke the silence.

It was late morning, and they were the better part of the way up a particularly large mountain. As Erend was trudging along, he heard a rumble coming from a nearby mountainside. He looked towards the sound, and saw a wide ridge of snow sliding down the mountain. It seemed as if half of the snow that had occupied the mountainside was now tumbling down, crushing everything in its path. 

“Avalanche.” the shaman said with a frown. “May the Creator protect.” 

“I’ve always hated those.” Erend said, shaking his head. 

“As have I.” the shaman said softly, pausing before continuing. “One winter, when I was very young, we had a lot of snow. Ban-Ur always has a lot of snow, but that year was extreme even for us. One night, about half way through the winter, there was an avalanche. It buried an entire werak while they slept, killed them all in an instant. We could not even perform the ceremony that would allow them to rest until spring, when the snow had melted enough to dig them out.”

“I’m so sorry.” Aloy said quietly. “That is truly awful.”

“Yes, it was. It was a true test of faith. The Creator is never without reason, but sometimes those reasons are not clear to us.”

Again, Erend couldn’t help but notice how different the Banuk culture was. The Claim was full of mountains, and from time to time there were avalanches. He had heard of people dying, thankfully nobody that he’d known, but he’d never before heard anyone say that their deaths had been for a reason. For the Oseram, those deaths were always a tragic accident, nothing more than someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a stroke of bad luck. How strange it was, to hear otherwise. Erend wasn’t sure that he would ever get used to the Banuk way of thinking. It was becoming increasingly clear that there was so much more than a spine of towering mountains that separated The Claim from Ban-Ur.

The trio slipped back into silence as they crested the mountain and began their descent down the other side. It was during the long descent that Erend confirmed something that he’d been suspecting since they’d left the werak.

“I couldn’t help but notice that we’re not traveling in a straight line.” he mentioned casually, hoping not to offend the shaman with his attempt at conversation.

“No, we’re not.” the shaman replied.

Undeterred, Erend continued. “Is there a reason?”

“There is always a reason.”

Erend wondered if the shaman was being deliberately frustrating, or if he really thought that his answers were helpful. Whichever it was, Erend wasn’t about to give up so easily this time - he’d finally gotten the shaman talking. “What is the reason?” he asked, hoping that he’d asked a question that would need something more than a simple answer.

“We are walking around the machines, giving them their space.”

“How do you know where they are?”

The shaman looked at him, confused. “How do you not know? Do you not hear their songs?”

Erend and Aloy both shook their heads, which seemed to surprise the shaman a little. “Well, if you do not hear the songs, then it is even more impressive that you’ve made it as far as you have.”

“What do they sound like?” Aloy asked.

“Each machine has its own song, a song that only it can sing. Chargers have a song like a soft whistle, a bit like a songbird. Grizzlybacks have a low rumble, almost like the hum of a man with a very deep voice. Each is unique, and each is beautiful in its own way.”

“So what machines are we avoiding at the moment?” Erend asked, looking back at the diagonal path they’d cut into the mountainside snow.

“There is a group of striders down in that valley. They have my favourite song, you know. It’s very soothing, soft and gentle like a mother’s lullaby. I don’t know how else to explain it. I wish that you could hear it.”

The shaman smiled warmly, a smile that was quickly returned by his traveling companions. Erend breathed a small sigh of relief. Finally, FINALLY, he seemed to be opening up to them. 

“So….” Erend tried, digging around in his brain for something to chat about. “This owegan that we’re going to….”

The shaman smiled and shook his head. “Oshweken. It’s called an oshweken.”

Aloy laughed at the sheepish look on Erend’s face. “Sorry. Oshweken. Is it much farther?”

“The entrance to the valley of the sacred oshweken is on the other side of that mountain over there.” the shaman explained, pointing into the distance. “But we will not be able to enter the valley until all of the shamans have arrived and the cleansing ceremony has been performed.”

______________________

Nahanni greeted them upon their arrival at the entrance to the sacred valley. A leader among the shamans, she was the one who had first suggested that Avad be invited to Ban-Ur; so she was beyond pleased to meet his envoys. As they waited for the remaining shamans to arrive, she explained that Erend and Aloy were to be the first non-shamans to ever enter the valley, the priviledge normally reserved for those who had dedicated their lives to the sacred. The reason for the invitation, she elaborated, was that word of the attack on Meridian had reached Ban-Ur, and the shamans agreed that they wanted to demonstrate to Avad the depth of their commitment to peace between their peoples.

Erend wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. He hadn’t realized just how serious this invitation was. It was the reason that no one else from the werak had accompanied them – they wouldn’t have been allowed into the valley. And yet he and Aloy, outsiders and strangers, were being granted that right. It didn’t exactly sit well with him, but there was little that he could do about it. All he could do was help Aloy express to Avad just how seriously the Banuk viewed their peaceful relationship with the Carja. He felt the weight of that responsibility settle upon his shoulders, and he found that he didn’t mind that part so much. He had spent so much of his life fighting and killing, it felt good to be responsible for ongoing peace.

Over the course of the day, the last few remaining shamans straggled in from various parts of Ban-Ur. When the final shaman had arrived, the other shamans rose and joined hands.

“Creator.” Nahanni began. “We thank you for all that you have given us.” She reached down and scooped up a large handful of snow and began rubbing it over her hands, and another handful scrubbed over her face. The other shamans followed suit, using the cold snow to wash themselves.

“We cleanse ourselves of all impurities” she said as she ran the icy snow over her skin “so that we may be worthy of your blessings.” 

Erend leaned over and whispered into Aloy’s ear. “Forge, are we supposed to be doing this too?” he asked, mildly panicked. He didn’t want to repeat his insult with the firewood.

The shaman that had accompanied them from the werak quickly flicked his eyes over in Erend’s direction and gave a tiny smile and shake of his head. He went back to his cleansing, but it was enough to reassure Erend that they weren’t doing the wrong thing.

“Creator.” the shaman said, gesturing towards Erend and Aloy “we bring with us guests from afar. They are not of this land, and yet they have proven that they care for Ban-Ur and its people. We ask that you cleanse them, just as you have cleansed us, so that we may all enter your valley as one.”

The cleansing complete, the shamans sang a final song of blessing, then each one gave a silent prayer before gathering up their spears.

Erend quickly understood that it was time to go, and gathered up his pack and his hammer. Aloy was ready even faster than he was, and stood waiting on the thin trail that would take them up over the steep pass and down into the sacred valley.

As they crested the hill, Erend couldn’t help but stop for a moment to admire the view. Before him laid a bowl-like valley, completely surrounded by sharp mountains. The pass where he stood was really the only way in, the valley looking almost like a tiny version of the Embrace that Aloy knew so well. On one side of the valley was a series of colourful pools, steam rising up from them. It was as if they were miniature forgelakes, and Erend had never seen anything like it before.

“The oshweken should be singing soon. I haven’t heard it since we got here.” one of the shaman said as he passed beside Erend’s shoulder and began his descent into the valley.

“What does that mean?” Aloy asked, coming to stand beside him.

“Not sure. But I bet that we’ll find out soon enough.”

Sure enough, as Erend and Aloy took their first steps into the valley, they found out what the shaman had meant. They had just shrugged off their packs and set them in the spot that Nahanni had indicated when they heard a rumble from the forgepools on the edge of the valley. Moments later, a stream of water shot straight into the air, as if fired from a bow. It splashed down into the forgepools around it, the steaming water spraying in every direction. Clouds of steam billowed out of the ground as the gush of water died down.

“That, my friends, is the oshweken.” one of the shamans said to them, slapping a hand on Erend’s shoulder. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Erend said, still not quite believing his eyes.

“That’s not surprising.” Nahanni said, wandering over to where they stood. “Oshweken are rare. The Banuk believe that an oshweken is what the Creator, the one who is the source of all life, uses to release spirits into our world to be born. All life comes from the Creator, and all life is sustained by the Creator. The oshweken is the Creator’s tool to do that. Without water, without fire, we are nothing. The oshweken is both water and fire, it boils with the spirit of new life.”

Nahanni turned to Aloy and took her by the hand. “Child, I imagine that you have seen the lights that dance in the sky above Ban-Ur?”

“Yes, we have.” Aloy replied.

“We believe that the lights, we call them tuskarora, are the companion to the oshweken. The tuskarora are the spirits of those who have passed. They are our ancestors, watching over us.”

“That’s really beautiful.” Aloy said earnestly, returning Nahanni’s easy smile. 

“So many people see Ban-Ur as nothing but a frozen, unforgiving place. It makes my heart sing to know that you are able to see its beauty.” Nahanni said, cupping Aloy’s face before turning to go.

Aloy turned, and gave a little laugh when she saw the look on Erend’s face. “I bet you’ve never heard anyone in The Claim talk like that before, have you?”

“What, you mean dancing spirits in the sky? No, but it’s as good an explanation as any.” he replied with a shrug. He was starting to get the hang of this whole diplomacy thing, he realized. You just had to roll with the punches. Sure, he’d never heard anything like that in The Claim, but it had its fair share of stories that were strange when he stopped to really think about them. 

Erend soon realized that Aloy was staring at him, grinning from ear to ear.

“What?” he asked.

“I love you, Erend Vanguardsman.”

_______________

What followed their arrival into the valley of the oshweken was days of ceremony, song and prayer. Sometimes, the shamans all gathered together to sing and dance; other times they scattered across the valley like grains of wheat, each in silent prayer. They included Erend and Aloy as often as possible, but there were plenty of times where the two of them were left to their own devices. They couldn’t hunt in the valley, as it was forbidden, nor could they bring in any fresh kills. This meant that they spent plenty of time by the fire, chatting, or exploring the valley.

On one of the final days of the gathering, one of the shamans informed Aloy that the most sacred ceremony was about to begin. “Will you join us?” he asked with a welcoming smile.

Aloy looked to Erend, who nodded. If they were being invited to join the most sacred of all ceremonies, it would be an insult to refuse.

“Yes, we would be honoured to join you.” Aloy replied.

“Very well. The wapak will be ready soon, and we will drink it as the sun sets.” the shaman said, turning to go. As the elderly man hobbled away, he didn’t noticed Aloy’s questioning eyes. 

As promised, as the sun was about to set, all of the shamans gathered around the central fire. An enormous wooden bowl, over which several of them had been fussing for hours, sat nearby. A few of the oldest shamans were dipping smaller bowls into it and offering them to the shamans seated around the fire.

One of the shamans approached Erend, a large bowl clasped tightly in her gnarled hands. “Have you ever had wapak before?” she asked.

“Wapak? Um, no, I don’t think so.”

Erend took the bowl that was handed to him, the contents a murky greyish-brown tea that were very unappetizing. He looked over at Aloy, who had her own bowl tilted to her lips, and so with a shrug he swallowed the contents of the bowl. It tasted as he had expected it would – earthy, a bit muddy even, with a bitterness that sat on his tongue and refused to budge. He coughed and tried not to grimace as he handed the bowl back to the shaman, smiling in thanks as the old woman took it from him.

“Take care now, boy.” the kindly woman said as she patted him on the head before turning to go. 

Once she was out of earshot, Erend leaned over to Aloy and whispered. “That was no scrappersap.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Aloy replied, reaching for her canteen of water. She took a mouthful and began to swish it around, handing Erend the canteen as she did so.

Erend rinsed his own mouth, then handed the canteen back to Aloy. “What do you think she meant, ‘take care now.’?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s just her way of being welcoming.”

“Maybe.” Erend replied. 

As he looked around the circle of shamans gathered around the large fire, he could see each of them draining their own bowl of wapak. Setting aside their bowls, several of the shamans picked up large animal-skin drums and began to play, their rhythmic beats echoing through the valley. On and on it went, the heartbeat of the drums flowing like a river, one song into another, never stopping. Sometimes, the shamans would dance. Other times, they would sing in the same strange language that they used when they prayed.  
Erend wasn’t sure how long he’d been listening to the music, but he suddenly noticed that it had begun to change. It wasn’t that the drumming itself was different, but it was as if it had begun to take on colour, like thin clouds in the sky above the drummers. 

“Aloy? Do you see that?” he whispered.

“See what?”

“Um, I don’t really know how to put this. Do you see the music, over there, floating in the air?”

“What? Erend, that makes no sense.”

“I know. But I can… you know what, never mind.”

He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Overtired, he thought to himself. That must be it, I’m just overtired. It’s been a long, hard trek, and it’s got me seeing things that aren’t there.

As Erend sat, looking up at the stars, they began to dance. Not just twinkle, actually move. He blinked slowly, then again. Still, the stars twirled through the sky above him.  
“Aloy, there’s something wrong.”

“I think you might be right.” she said, her voice clouded with concern. “There’s something going on with the fire. It’s… I don’t know. Different. More intense than it should be.”

“It has begun.” the shaman sitting next to her said reassuringly.

“What has?” 

“The effects of the wapak. The tea allows us to journey beyond this world into the spirit world, to see that which lies beyond.”

Erend and Aloy looked at each other, wide-eyed.

“You didn’t know?” the shaman asked. “When you drank, did you know?”

Both Aloy and Erend shook their heads in unison.

The shaman pursed his lips. Clearly, he had been under the impression that they had known what the wapak would do. “Don’t worry, there’s nothing to be afraid of. You are undertaking a beautiful journey, one that will teach you about this world and the next. We are all here with you, and you are safe.” He reached over and took Aloy’s hand, patting it. 

As Erend stared into the fire that crackled before him, he lost all sense of time. It might have been a minute, it might have been a year, he truly had no idea. All he knew was that the fire was mesmerizing, the most breathtaking fire that had ever existed. 

The thin, colourful clouds of sound had become thicker, like smaller versions of the fluffy clouds that drifted across the moon above them. Each song had its own colour, its own patterns. A feeling of peace washed over him as he watched them, a sudden understanding of the music that he hadn’t had before. Each drum beat was an ecstasy, and the strange language the shamans sang suddenly made sense. While he couldn’t understand the words, he understood their meaning. They spoke the truths of the universe, of eternity and beauty and life. 

He began to feel as if he was calmly floating above his body, and yet he had never felt more connected to his body before. He felt its strength and power, glorious in ways that he had never imagined. He noticed details that he normally ignored, like the tickle of his hair against his forehead. Each little hair felt alive, a world onto itself. The feeling of air filling his lungs, the beating of his heart, every tingle and sensation throughout his entire body felt new and exciting. It was as if he was a child, discovering himself for the first time.

As he floated above himself, a vision of Aloy coalesced in front of him. He was awestruck, her beauty so profound that it left him gasping. She held in her hands a box of glowing light, blinding in its brightness and pulsing with a steady energy. She offered it to him, and when he took it from her he instantly felt an intense rush of energy from it, coursing through him and lighting him from the inside. It was blissful and yet overwhelming, both terrifying and euphoric. He felt the warmth of Aloy’s light making its way through his body, filling him, soothing him, making him stronger, making him whole. It felt indestructible and yet fragile, precious beyond words.

The puff of the oshweken in the distance brought him back into himself, and as he sank back into his body he felt the pulsing of Aloy’s light, still strong within him. 

Slowly, Erend began to leave the realm of the shamans behind. The clouds of sound grew thinner and thinner, the fire less dazzling, the world around him less wondrous. As the stars ceased their dancing and everything began to return to some semblance of normal, Erend tried to make sense of what he had experienced. 

The shaman who had patted Aloy’s hand when this all began came over to where Erend was sitting, a delicate smile on his face. “I see that it is time to welcome you back into the world. I suggest that you take some time to meditate, it will help.”

“Thank you.” Erend said, before adding “Am I supposed to feel this exhausted?”

“Yes, that’s normal.” the shaman replied. “You physical body did very little, but your spirit has traveled a great distance. Your mind will feel tired for a little while, but it will return to normal soon enough.”

Erend nodded, then ran his hand over his head. It was such an instinctive gesture, one that he had done so many countless times, that he was surprised when he felt leather under his hand. He’d forgotten about his insulated hat. He’d also forgotten that the swath of hair that he normally ran his hand over wasn’t there at the moment, having disappeared into the rest of his hair. He thought about it for a while, how foreign his body seemed all of a sudden. It was such a change from where he’d been only a short while earlier, aware of every cell. 

The crunch of snow behind him announced Aloy’s arrival. They had come and gone from each other’s side off and on throughout the evening, and Erend was very glad that she was here now. He hoped that she needed to be close to him as badly as he needed to be close to her.

“How are you doing?” she asked him softly as she settled beside him.

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her as close as he could, laying his lips against her temple. “I don’t know yet. You?”

“Let me get back to you on that.” 

Erend let out a long sigh, his warm breath ruffling the hair around Aloy’s ear. “When Avad said that we’d be joining the shamans, I had no idea that it would involve anything like this.” 

Aloy scoffed. “Me neither.”

They sat there for a good long while, quietly tangled together, reflecting. Erend wondered whether he should tell Aloy about his vision, about the box of light, but ultimately decided against it. It had been a message for him, he realized, something to hold on to when the moments of darkness threatened to overwhelm him.

“Erend?” Aloy asked quietly, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

“Yah?” 

“I just want you to know…I’m not going to ask you about it. I’ll listen if you want to talk, absolutely. But I won’t ask.”

Erend smiled. “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.”

Aloy turned to look at him. “Really?”

Erend gave a little nod. “Really.”

Aloy smiled and gave him a tender kiss. He felt the warm glow inside him grow brighter, and he understood. She stood, then reached out to take his hand. She pulled him to his feet, and they slowly made their way to their tent.

The next day was a quiet one. The shamans, having gone much deeper into their visions than Erend and Aloy, spent the day in meditation and quiet contemplation. Erend and Aloy, for their part, spent the better part of the day recovering. The mental exhaustion and grogginess were still there, and they were both still struggling to make sense of things. 

When Aloy suggested a quiet walk around the oshweken, Erend immediately agreed. There were simply too many people around at the moment, and he thought that the time alone with Aloy might help him to think more clearly.

They walked hand in hand across the valley to the oshweken, a stream of steaming water greeting them as they approached. They circled it a few times, wordlessly admiring the incredible beauty of the shamans’ sacred valley, before returning to the camp.

As he walked, Erend couldn’t help but think again about the vision he had had. There was something about it that seemed out of his grasp, something that he just couldn’t seem to put his finger on. It niggled at his brain, dancing just out of reach. He went over and over it in his mind, trying to figure it out. Finally, it struck him – he felt peace. Almost every day since Aloy had fallen from the mesa, he had worried for her. The horror of her accident had left a stain on him that he hadn’t been able to wash away. But today, it felt smaller. He thought about the glowing light, and how it had filled him so completely. And he knew. He didn’t need to worry anymore, because he was carrying Aloy with him, always. She was a part of him, and he kept her safe inside his heart. 

He gently squeezed her hand, reassuring himself that the message of the vision was true. When she squeezed his back, he realized something further. Just as she was a part of him, so too was he a part of her. No matter what challenges or threats she would face in the future, he would always be there with her. They were safe, together. 

As his feet carried him across the valley, Erend felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from him, and some of the darkness that infected the corners of his mind had been chased away. He took a deep breath, a smile spreading across his face. 

Aloy couldn’t help but notice the change in Erend. “Something good?” she asked.

“Something very, very good.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Erend thought about it for a moment. “Is it alright if I say no?” 

“Of course it is.”

“Then, not really, no.”

Aloy smiled and squeezed his hand again.

No, he didn’t want to tell her. Because to explain the good, he’d have to explain the bad. And he didn’t want to burden her with that, with something that she couldn’t have changed. They’d talked about it a little bit, here and there, so she was aware of what he’d been feeling - but she had no idea of the depths of his pain and fear. How hard he had worked to keep it from consuming him. He couldn’t explain the relief that he was feeling, just how profound the change was, unless he could make her understand what had been there before. No, it was better just to leave it be. 

_____________

Erend had never been very good at goodbyes, and he had to admit that Aloy was even worse. As the werak gathered, each taking their turn in wishing the two of them well, it struck him how odd it was when compared to their arrival. Everyone gushed about how they looked forward to the next visit from the Sun King’s ambassador and her honoured guard, looked forward to hearing more about their adventures. There were no more cold glares or howls of indignation, only tears from the parents of the children’s they’d saved.

The shaman, with whom they’d traveled so far, was the last to bid them farewell.

“My friends, I wish you a safe journey. May the Creator protect and guide you.”

“Thank you, Salik” Aloy said as she embraced him.

“Your song will be forever sung.” he said as he turned to embrace Erend.

“Thank you, Salik. We won’t forget you either.” Erend replied, returning his embrace.

“You know, I was surprised when Nahanni first suggested that we invite your Sun King to Ban-Ur, but I see now just how wise it was. May the peace between our peoples know no end.” With a final grasp of Aloy’s hand, the shaman turned and walked away. 

There was nothing left to do now but go home.

______________

As the werak slipped out of sight behind them, Erend took a deep breath. Their return trip home was expected to be much easier than the journey that had brought them to the Banuk – they now had a map, a firm destination, and snowshoes, after all. They knew what to expect from Ban-Ur, and they were ready for it. Before they’d left, Anora had done her best to draw them a map of known machine sites, and Aloy had used the little snow map to mark the spots on her focus. That, coupled with the information that they’d gotten from the tallneck, would be enough to keep them well away from the most dangerous machines.

Erend couldn’t help but notice that Aloy kept tapping on her focus as they trudged along, her attention obviously caught on something on the map that only she could see.

“What is it? What are you looking at?” he finally asked, after she’d tapped her focus for the fourth time.

“Nothing.”

Erend shot her a look that made it clear that he wasn’t buying her brush off.

“Really, it’s nothing. There’s a ruin nearby, that’s all.”

“And you want to go check it out.”

Aloy looked at him apologetically.

Erend chuckled softly. “How far out of our way is it?”

“About a half-day, maybe a bit more if we need to dodge any machine herds.”

If a half-day was all it took to appease Aloy’s curiosity, he was more than happy to follow. He looked out over the snowy expanse and smiled. “After you, my love.”

_______________

Erend had never before set foot inside a ruined building of the metal world. There wasn’t much point in The Claim, since delvers had stripped every ruin of any useful piece of metal; and there had never been enough time or enough reasons in the Sundom. Olin had told him a bit about what they were like, back in the days when they would drink together, so he knew a little of what he could expect. But still, his eyes couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. There were flickering lights and screens everywhere he looked, and ancient devices that were as mysterious as they were fascinating. 

Aloy led the way, naturally, and thankfully never seemed to grow impatient with Erend’s explorations or questions. Even though he knew the story of Aloy’s birth, about GAIA and Elizabet Sobeck, he couldn’t help but look at her with awe the first time she opened one of the metal doors inside the facility.

They made their way through the building, scrambling up or sliding down, ducking under fallen beams and squeezing through half-open doors. Erend struggled a bit in a few spots, his thick metal boots making climbing particularly difficult. Aloy was always there, though, offering a hand to help him up. 

“This one isn’t too bad, actually.” she said as she leaped over a narrow crack in the floor.

Erend looked down into the crack as he prepared to jump, and couldn’t see the bottom of it. “Not too bad? You and I obviously have very different ideas about what that means.” He took a few steps back, then took a running leap over the bottomless crack.

“The passageways and stairs are still here, for the most part.” she said casually, as if that explained everything.

“Uh, yah. How else would we get around?” Erend asked.

“I usually have to climb up through one long shaft.”

“Climb up through a… Aloy, are you crazy? Why would you do that?”

Aloy just looked at him, an amused look on her face. “Why wouldn’t I? If the answers I need are at the top of a building, then I climb to the top. Simple as that.”

Erend stared at her, dumbfounded. Finally, he gave his head a little shake and smiled. “I love you, you know that?”

Aloy smiled back at him. “I know. Now can we keep going? It’ll be dark soon and I want to get a little higher while the light’s still good.”

“Lead the way.” he said, waving his hand towards the corridor in front of them.

At the end of a long hallway near the top of the ruin, Aloy and Erend discovered an enormous room. The walls were full of large lifeless screens, while the centre of the room was filled with countless metal cubes. Erend walked slowly among them, each box towering over him. As he walked, lost in thought as he marveled over the world of the ancients, he heard Aloy mumble something.

“Did you find something?” he asked when he’d returned to her side.

“Apollo. This symbol” she started, pointing to a pictogram buried in the dust “represents Apollo, one of GAIA’s subordinate functions.”

“Oh, wow.” Erend replied, craning his head around to look at the rectangles behind them. “That was the one that held the knowledge of the old ones, wasn’t it?”

“Yah.”

“Do you think that that’s what all of these big boxes were for? Knowledge-keepers?”

“Probably. Let me look around, my focus might pick something up.”

They split up, both wandering through the maze of metal that filled the room. Neither were sure what they were looking for, if indeed there was anything TO look for. Apollo had been wiped from existence centuries before, before the world of the ancients had even ended. But it was worth a look. There had been backups, after all. And backups of the backups. Maybe something had been missed.

As Erend walked, his eyes scanning for a puzzle piece that likely didn’t exist, to a puzzle that definitely didn’t exist, he wondered about what sorts of knowledge these boxes would have held. So many of the things that littered their world, remnants of the old ones, were veiled in mystery. No one could figure out what they had been for, what purpose they could possibly have served. The answers to all of their questions would have been in these boxes.

“Heh! I think I found something!”

Erend turned and hurried in the direction of Aloy’s voice. 

“A file. Or, a partial file at least. Something called ‘Moonlight Sonata’.”

“Should we open it?” Erend asked apprehensively. 

Aloy reached out and tapped a square screen on the console in front of her, her thought on the matter clear. Erend nearly jumped out of his skin when, suddenly, the air around them was filled with sound.

“It’s….music.” she said breathlessly.

It WAS music, but it wasn’t like any music Erend had ever heard. There were no drums, no singing. Instead, only a slow and haunting melody from an instrument lost to time. He stood and listened, his eyes gradually sinking closed. It was painfully beautiful, the tendrils of sound wrapping themselves around him like a cold embrace. 

They had stood in silence for several minutes, listening to the music of the ancients, when Erend heard Aloy sniffle. He opened his eyes and turned to look at her. Tears were running down her cheeks, leaving streaks in their wake.

“This. This is what Ted Faro took from us.”

Her words struck Erend like a deranged ravager. She was right – Ted Faro had robbed them of so much. Not just knowledge about the machines, or what had happened to the old ones, but everything that they had ever done, everything that they had created and accomplished. First, he destroyed the world. Then, he made sure that the newly reborn world would stumble around like an infant lost in the grass.

Erend was so dazed that he nearly missed Aloy turning towards him. He hugged her to his chest as she wept, mourning the loss of everything that had been, everything that could have been. He buried his face into her hair as he brushed his hand along her back, her tears staining the leather of his armour.

“I knew that we could have had medicines, transportation machines. But this? I never knew that the old ones had anything like this.” she said as her sobs subsided. The music had ended, the air now eerily silent. “What else, Erend? What else was there?”

But Erend had been struck speechless, and could only hug her a little tighter. Aloy had told him about Apollo, but he’d never really thought about it until now. Medicines. They could have had medicines. His father, maybe even his mother, might have been saved. His entire life. Ted Faro’s choice had shaped the path of his entire life, a thousand years before he was even born. Hatred flared within him, a burning rage aimed squarely at a man he’d never met.

Erend stepped back from Aloy, wanting desperately to direct the anger outwards. Images flashed through his mind – his father’s body, cold in his bed; Awl standing over him, Erend’s blood on his fists; Ersa in her bed, crying herself to sleep. Every single day that he and Ersa had suffered and starved. It could all have been different. All of it.

He looked over at one of the dead screens on the wall, the dust on it not entirely obliterating his reflection. His own scowling face stared back at him, a seething look in his eyes. A vicious roar ripped itself from his throat as he pulled back and punched the screen, putting his fist through it.

Aloy made to reach for him, but he shrugged away from her. “Just… not now.” he growled.

She nodded as she withdrew her hand, the sadness in her eyes bringing him back into himself. Erend let out a heavy sigh, his chin dropping to his chest. “It just hit me, all of a sudden. When you said that the old ones had medicines. When he destroyed Apollo, Faro stole my life. My mother, my father, everything that I went through in Riverbend, everything Ersa had to do in Longlake. It’s because of what he did.”

Aloy tentatively reached for him again, gently laying her hand on his arm when he didn’t pull away. “I’ve never thought of it that way before. I’m so sorry Erend.”

Erend nodded, and let out another long sigh. “But my life brought me to Meridian, brought me to you.” 

She smiled softly at him. Her hand slid down his arm until she found his hand, her fingers twisting through his. He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it, before hugging it to his chest.

“What do you say we get out of here?” he asked, wanting to put as much distance between himself and anything having to do with Ted Faro as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Soundtrack
> 
> Northern Lights – The Jerry Cans*  
> Soldier - Iskwé  
> Seqinitta Qinngorpaatit – Nanook  
> Sapiqangitunga – Saali & The Ravens  
> Hina Na Ho – Susan Aglukark  
> Sisters – A Tribe Called Red  
> R.E.D. – A Tribe Called Red  
> Strange Brew - Cream  
> Purple Haze – The Jimi Hendrix Experience  
> White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane  
> Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – The Beatles  
> Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd  
> Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2: 1st Movement (aka “Moonlight Sonata”) – Ludwig van Beethoven
> 
> *Note: This song was also recorded in Inuktitut, and is called “Ukiuq”. For those unfamiliar, Inuktitut is a language spoken by the Inuit, the Indigenous peoples of northern Canada. These songs also feature throat singing (sounds a bit like heavy breathing/growling) which is an art form among the Inuit. If you are curious about throat singing, check out Tanya Tagaq’s music.
> 
> Shamans the world over have used hallucinogenics (known as entheogens) in their spiritual practice - from ayahuasca in South America to kava in the South Pacific, peyote in North America to iboga in Africa, to name only a few. It is their belief that consuming these plants allows them to access the spiritual plane or dream world, to have visions, to communicate with ancestors or spirits, and the like. Shamanism is by no means limited to these practices, but given how it is a common element among so many shamanistic belief systems, I felt that it would be appropriate to include it as a practice among the Banuk shamans. Unfortunately (?), because I have absolutely zero experience with any hallucinogenics, I've tried my best to recreate the experience based on research and reading about the experiences of those who have. Hopefully, I've gotten it close enough to something that is believable.
> 
> This chapter also allowed me the opportunity to vent about Ted Faro. As cathartic as it was to get payback against Dervahl in part 1 of my story, I also wanted to take a shot at Faro, whom I hate with the fury of a thousand suns. The evil, selfish bastard. 
> 
> And because I’m practically plagiarizing, I’ll mention that part of this chapter was inspired by one of my favourite poems: i carry your heart with me by e.e. cummings
> 
>  
> 
> ps: In case you're wondering, yes that part where Aloy is talking about "go where the sled is going, not where it was" is a riff on a famous Wayne Gretzky quote (although it was his dad Walter who actually said it).


	7. Anniversary

The party was in full swing, but neither Erend nor Aloy felt much like celebrating. The people around them were laughing and drinking, dancing and singing, but their hearts just weren’t in it.

It had been a year – a whole year! – since they’d risked their lives to save Meridian from HADES and the Eclipse, so they should have had every reason to be joyous. Their city had been rebuilt from the rubble of that battle, more glorious than it had ever been. The world had been saved, and in so doing the Carja, the Nora, the Oseram and the Banuk had stronger ties than ever before.

Erend chided himself a little for not joining his Vanguard in their celebrations, but he was in a particularly reflective mood. A year. Had it only been a year? It felt like a lifetime ago. So much had changed since that day. HE had changed. He was no longer the newly-appointed Captain of the Vanguard, a boy stumbling around while trying to fill his big sister’s shoes (and failing, he thought with a grimace). He was no longer alone in the world. 

With that thought, Erend looked over and Aloy. She was running her finger around the rim of her mug of mead, the brew having gone warm and flat long ago. Her eyes were sad. He reached over and took her hand.

“Thinking about this morning?” he asked, knowing the answer.

“Yah.”

The day of the anniversary had started with memorials to the fallen. Soldiers who had died in battle and civilians who had been killed during the Eclipse onslaught. Erend had also held a special memorial for the four Vanguard who had been lost, with only Avad, Aloy, Marad, and the Vanguard in attendance. That one had been the hardest.

“None of that was your fault, I know that you know that.” he reminded her, just as she had reminded him time and again.

Aloy nodded slowly, but remained quiet.

“You know, I was just thinking. This time last year, I was alone, sad and lonely and scared. I know that neither of us are really feeling like the life of the party tonight, but can we at least celebrate THAT change?”

Aloy looked up and gave him a small smile. “Sure. That sounds like something worth celebrating.”

Erend smiled and stood, pulling Aloy from her chair. They wove through the tables and chairs scattered around the edge of the square, towards the centre where the dancers were crowded together.

As he wrapped his arm around Aloy’s waist, Erend couldn’t help but think back to the first time they’d danced together. He remembered every moment of the day, the way that every nerve in his body had come alive when he’d touched her. 

“What?” Aloy asked as they began to move in unison, their feet moving to the lively beat.

“Oh, I was just thinking about our first dance.” he replied as he swung her around.

“That was a good day.” 

“Yes it was.”

Aloy and Erend danced and danced, one song after the other, until their feet hurt and their spirits had lifted.

“Heh, are you two ever going to stop? We have a round of fresh brews over here!” Senoa called over the crowd, waving them over.

Chuckling, Erend and Aloy made their way over to the Vanguard table.

“You’ve been home for almost two weeks, and I feel like I’ve barely seen you.” Kort said as they sat down, sliding a mug of brew towards Erend. “And a mead for our Aloy.” he added, sliding the mug her way.

“Yah, we’ve been busy. Avad has had us sitting with his scholars, going over our trip to Ban-ur.” Erend said. He took a swig from his mug, then wiped the foam from his moustache.

“Well, I saw them when they got back, and I can tell you that it wasn’t pretty.” Ando said teasingly. “I almost didn’t recognize our Captain, what with all of that hair and big bushy beard and everything…”

“Oh, ha ha.” Erend said dryly as the others laughed at his expense. “Let’s see you keep your barber schedule when you’re out in the wilds freezing your bellows off.”

“Well, we’re glad to see that you're back safe, and back to your old self.” Roan said after the howling laughter had died down.

“Hear hear!” Antro shouted, raising his mug.

“Hear hear!” the rest of the Vanguard cried, raising their mugs before tipping them back and draining them. 

Erend blushed, ducking his head and running his hand over his mohawk.

“Another round!” Arnt called to the server. “We need to toast Aloy too, or should I say Ambassador Aloy?”

“So, is it official?” Kort asked.

Aloy nodded. “Yes, Erend and I talked about it, then Avad and I talked about it. It’s official.”

A cheer rose up from the table, every one of the Vanguard beaming with pride. 

“I knew you could do it.” Senoa said, patting Aloy on the shoulder.

“Oh, you should have seen her. She took to it like a fish to water.” Erend added.

“So, what happened? What was it like? You still haven’t told us.” Griff asked.

Erend and Aloy groaned in unison. 

“What? What did I say?”

“Sorry, Griff, it’s just that we’ve been talking about Ban-Ur almost non-stop since we got back. Or at least it feels like it was non-stop.” Aloy said, shrugging her shoulders apologetically.

“Oh, you mean with the scholars?” Roan asked. “So, what sorts of things did they want to know?”

“Everything. And I mean everything. We had to describe, in tiny detail, every new plant, animal, and machine that we saw while they made notes and drew diagrams. If we ate it, they wanted to know what it tasted like. If we fought it, they wanted to know its strengths and weaknesses. Stuff like that. They wanted to know about the Banuk, everything that we’d learned about their culture and language. They made us draw maps, big ones of the whole of Ban-Ur; and smaller, more detailed regional maps of the places we’d been. They asked question after question until we were both hoarse. They never seemed to run out of questions.” Erend replied. “I mean, how many times can you tell someone ‘it was cold’?”

“And no matter how many times we’d explain some things, they just never seemed to understand.” Aloy added. “Like the tuskarora. I tried and tried to explain. I tried ‘coloured lights that wave in the night sky’, I tried ‘ribbons of green light that dance in the sky’, I tried ‘like a moving rainbow’. I tried every description that I could think of, but they just didn’t get it.” 

“Whoa.” Senoa whispered. 

“The Banuk have coloured lights in the sky? Moving lights?” Nomi asked, obviously awestruck at the idea.

“Yes, and they are more beautiful than words can describe.” Erend replied, a small smile finding its way to his lips as he thought about the first time he’d seen them.

“Well would you look at that, our Captain is a romantic.”

“So you must have run out of things to tell them by now, you must have told them everything.” Kort said.

Erend and Aloy gave each other a knowing look and smiled.

“Not everything, obviously.” he added.

“No, there was one thing that we chose not to share.” Aloy said quietly. The Vanguard leaned in to listen as she continued. “The shamans brought us to their sacred valley, where only shamans are allowed to go. We decided that we weren’t going to tell anyone where it was. We figured that if only the shamans could go into the valley, then only the shamans should know where it is.”

“I like that.” Roan said with a smile. “You have honoured what they shared with you. Clearly, Avad chose well when he named you Ambassador.”

“Wow, they brought you to their secret sacred valley?” Ando said, his voice filled with wonder. “I can’t even get my mother to share her recipe for flagentort.”

The Vanguard roared with laughter. A cheer went up as a new round of brews arrived, and the celebration continued.

_______________

Erend saw the signal and gave a tiny nod. It was time to go.

“Heh, what do you say we take a walk? I could use some air.” he asked Aloy, taking her hand.

“A couple of brews and the man needs some air? Surely you’re tougher than that Captain!”

“Or maybe he’s just sick of looking at your ugly face.” Roan joked. He gave Erend a small, knowing smile. “Go.” he whispered, waving them away.

Hand-in-hand, Erend and Aloy wove their way through the streets of Meridian. Down the crowded elevator they went, making their way out of the city.

“Where are we going?” Aloy asked softly, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Erend smiled and bobbed his head, indicating the Alight. “It seems fitting that this day should end in the same spot where the battle ended a year ago, don’t you think?”

Aloy smiled. “I’d like that.”

They walked slowly, the path difficult to see in the darkness. There was almost no moon to light their way, and no one had thought to light any torches this far out of the city. 

They climbed in silence, the path carrying them up and up towards their destination. Erend couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous, try as he might to shake it off. He and Avad had been planning this since before they’d left for Ban-Ur and he wanted it to be perfect. 

When they’d reached the top, they both instinctively headed for the overlook. It had been there that they’d announced their victory over HADES, and it was a spot that they’d returned to time and again in the year since that day. 

Erend settled down on the ground with his back against a large rock. He patted the ground between his knees, and Aloy sat down, laying back against his chest. His arm wrapped itself around her waist as they settled in, his fingers twisting together with hers against her stomach. 

So many nights they’d sat tangled together like this, and as it usually did Aloy’s hand eventually drifted up and she absentmindedly played with the hair on his jaw. He rested his chin on the side of her head, enjoying the feeling of her fingers softly brushing against his face. It was a feeling that always made him feel grounded and calm. A reminder that he was safe. He was loved. 

They sat quietly, looking up at the stars. As he gazed up at the sliver of moon in the sky, Erend was reminded of the song they’d heard in the ruins in Ban-Ur. Moonlight Sonata, it had been called. Fitting, he thought to himself as the melody began to play in his mind, beautiful and sad. He turned his head slightly, planting a soft kiss on Aloy’s temple.

The sounds of the party carried out through the night, drifting up to them on the wind. They could hear music and laughter, the sounds of a people who had faced the impossible and triumphed; every single man, woman, and child celebrating their victory against those who would have brought about the end of the world. Meridian was lit up like a beacon, the streets alive with revelry, and for a moment Erend could almost believe that the sun truly did shine upon it.

Erend could see that a large crowd had begun to gather at the edge of the mesa. Word had obviously spread that the show was about to begin.

“Heh, do you remember the day of your Blessing ceremony in Mother’s Heart, when I stuck my foot in my mouth and told you that I knew a half dozen Oseram tinkers who could put on a better fireworks show?” he asked quietly, almost whispering into her ear.

“Um, yah. Why?”

Erend smiled widely. “This is what I was talking about.”

Almost as if on cue, a high-pitched squeal could be heard coming from the fields below. A tiny rocket shot into the sky, exploding into a burst of colourful sparks in the air above them. Aloy gasped, her eyes flying wide. This explosion was quickly followed by another, and yet another. Sparks rained down from the sky, in red and yellow and green. 

Erend was too busy watching Aloy’s reaction to really notice the fireworks. Her face was lit up with the brightest smile he’d ever seen, and by the forge, he had never been more in love with this incredible woman.

He eventually tore his eyes away from her and watched the last few explosions in the sky. He hugged her a little tighter as the last of the smoke from the fireworks began to dissipate in the breeze, smiling and kissing her temple.

“So? What did you think?”

“That was… I don’t know what to say, Erend. I’ve never seen anything like that before.” she said breathlessly, still beaming. “So, those were fireworks?”

“Yah.” Erend replied, giving a little nod.

“How did you…? Did you do that for me?”

“Avad might have had a hand in it, but yah, I called in a few favours.” he replied coyly, the playfulness in his voice making her laugh.

Aloy twisted around and kissed him. “Well, they were incredible.”

Erend smiled softly. “I’m glad you liked them.”

“I loved them.”

She settled back against his chest, taking his arms and wrapping them around her, resting her hands on his forearm. 

He smiled into her hair. His plan had worked, gone off even better than he had hoped. He had wanted so badly to do something to show her how he felt. He often found that he didn’t have the words, felt incapable of expressing the true depth of his love for her, and the fireworks had seemed like the perfect metaphor – overwhelming, beautiful, bright, powerful, awe-inspiring. He could only hope that she understood what he was trying to tell her with the gesture.

“I love you, Aloy. So, so much more than I can ever tell you.”

“I love you too, Erend. Forever and always.”

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I really can't tell you what it means to me to finally post this chapter. Believe it or not, this ENTIRE story started because I had an image in my mind of Erend and Aloy cuddling up on the Alight, watching fireworks on the one-year anniversary of the battle with HADES. No joke. I wrote this entire story because of that one scene - all I needed to figure out was how to get them from the battle to that moment a year later (which wasn't easy, trust me!).
> 
> There's no chapter soundtrack for this one, because every time I tried to create one I couldn't strike the right tone. This chapter is kind-of all over the place: it's somber, then 'party' and happy, then reflective, then exciting explosions!, then contentment. Nothing worked. So, dear reader, I leave the soundtrack to this one up to you. 
> 
> One more, folks. Just one more.


End file.
